The Cowboy Lassos a Bride(31)

"Hannah seems to be in a state today," Rob said.

"You've seen her?" Jake looked over his shoulder.

"No-but Morgan and the rest of the women have all gone to Bella's clinic for a powwow."

"Huh." He didn't like the sound of that one bit. He went back to  stroking Chester with the brush but now his movements felt choppy, out  of whack. "You came here to tell me that?"

"I don't want to see you screw up a good thing."

"How do you figure I'm doing that?"

"You just started seeing Hannah. Now the two of you are engaged? Don't you think you're moving a little fast?"

"Ain't that the pot calling the kettle black?" Jake said.

Rob had the grace to look away. He and Morgan had a whirlwind courtship.  "Yeah, well. I had something to offer Morgan. The land she needed for  her winery. And even if I did propose before we dated much, I poured on  the romance after that, believe me. From what I hear you've got Hannah  cooking your meals and cleaning your house like she's some kind of  maid."

"It isn't quite like that." Should he tell Rob what their father had done?

"Really? Have you done anything romantic for her?"

Jake thought hard. "I bought her dinner last night. I bought her a ring, too."

"You think that's enough?"

Jake's temper flared. "I reckon I can court a woman without your help."

"Oh, yeah? Then why does your fiancée have her friends rallied round her like Custer's last stand?"

Jake couldn't quite find an answer to that. "Fine. Romance. More of it."

"You know she wants to go veterinary school?" Rob asked.

"Of course. I told her she could." Jake kept on working. Rob caught hold of his arm.

"Take that tone about it and you'll lose her. The most romantic thing you could do is support her."

"I'm not taking a tone." Jake tried to pull free. "I am trying to support her. In fact … "

"Look, cut the crap. Morgan texted me what the real problem is. You keep  trying to get Hannah pregnant. You think that's going to solve your  problems? Is that your grand plan?" Suddenly Rob was in his face,  furious. "If you really want to marry that girl, if you're really in  love with her, how about you stop thinking about what she can do for you  and start thinking about what you can do for her."                       
       
           



       

"I'm not trying to get her pregnant." Jake shoved him away. He wasn't.  Really. After all, he'd just sent an application in to Montana State. He  had no idea why-it wasn't like he'd be able to go, but at least he'd  sent it in. That ought to count for something.

"But you screw up twice in two weeks? That sounds a whole lot like  trying to me. Get behind your woman's dreams and help make them come  true; that's what a real man would do."

Jake dropped his arms, suddenly tired of the whole conversation. "Make  her dreams come true? When they're going to take her away from me? Away  from this place?"

"Are you really that short-sighted? Jake, she's going to be a vet.  You're a rancher. You ranch animals." Rob emphasized the last word.  "She'll doctor up animals when she's done with school. What's the  problem?"

"I'll tell you what the problem is." Jake advanced on him. "Four years  of school in Colorado, that's the problem. By the time she's done I'll  be an old man. What if she doesn't want me anymore? What if she meets  someone else while she's out there? Four years is a hell of a long time  to be apart."

"So don't be apart. Go with her."

"And leave the ranch? Lose my place? Because once Ned gets a hold of it, he won't let go."

"You know how this is going to turn out? I think I do. You'll alienate  Hannah, drive her into another man's arms, split up and end up stuck  here for the rest of your life hating this ranch that you think you love  so much. All because you're too stubborn to see what's in front of your  face."

"What? What's in front of my face?" The horses in the stalls around them  moved nervously. Jake knew they should take this outside but they were  too far gone in the argument to move.

"Opportunities. You've got one chance here to get the woman you love and the life you want."

Jake shook his head. "No-I've got one chance to choose between the woman I love and the life I want."

"God, you are blind. There's always another way, Jake. Always." Rob  stomped out of the barn. Jake threw the curry comb down and kicked it  across the floor.

Damn Rob and damn everyone else, too, with their possibilities. He could  have the ranch or he could have Hannah. That was the choice before him.  It was black and white, crisp and clear, as simple as …

Another possibility struck him, so bold it nearly blinded him. He stood stock-still, afraid if he moved the idea would vanish.

Could it work? Should he even try?

He pulled out his cell phone.





‡

Chapter Seventeen





When Hannah walked into the cabin an hour later, Jake was waiting for  her in the kitchen. He was bent over the toaster lifting two frozen  waffles out. Breakfast sausages sizzled on the stove. A jar of  applesauce sat in the middle of the table which he'd set for two. It  wasn't as elegant as the take out dinner he'd arranged for them the  night before, but the fact he'd done the cooking himself brought tears  to her eyes.

She hated not trusting Jake. Hated that she could think for a minute he  might botch their birth control in order to make her pregnant and keep  her here. She knew he loved her. Knew, too, that he wanted to spend the  rest of their lives together, but without solid trust, how could they  make anything work?

"Dinner's ready," Jake said jauntily, but he wouldn't meet her gaze.

She took off her coat and dropped her purse on the couch. "I think we really need to talk."

"I think so, too." Jake pointed to a stack of papers by each plate. "I printed us out some lists."

"Lists?"

"Wash up first. Then I'll tell you what it's all about."

Hannah made her way to the bathroom wondering if Jake had found yet  another way to distract her from her purpose. When she came back, the  plates were loaded with food. Her stomach grumbled but she pursed her  lips, ready to stick to her guns.

"Sounds like someone's hungry."

"I skipped lunch." She took her seat. He touched her hand on his way  around the table and she bit her lip. She wouldn't let him sweet talk  her again, but if she was honest with herself, she craved his closeness.  All the talk this afternoon about heading out to Colorado and leaving  Jake behind had made her sad. What she had with him was special; she  didn't want to lose it.

"What's the paperwork about?"

"Chores," Jake said. "I listed every one I could think of around here.  We both work full time, so it makes sense that we should divide them  between us."                       
       
           



       

"Really?" Hannah blinked, surprised. "I didn't think you felt that way."

"It's not the way my folks do it. But it's been pointed out to me that  there's more than one way to get things done. Why don't we start by  marking the ones we don't mind doing. Then we'll compare lists and  divide up what's left. We can shift things around until it's fair."

Hannah wasn't sure why tears pricked her eyes again. She'd cried plenty  at the clinic and she hadn't thought she had any tears left. Blinking  them back determinedly, she ran down the list and checked the chores  that bothered her least. Vacuuming. Changing the sheets. Cooking. She  loathed grocery shopping so she left that one blank. The same with  scrubbing the toilets. But there were many things on the list that she  really didn't mind doing-not if Jake was pitching in, too.

"Want some wine?" She hadn't notice him get up and grab the bottle.

"Better not," she said.

"Oh. Right."

"This looks good." She indicated the meal before them. She stabbed a forkful of sausage and brought it to her mouth.

He grinned. "Breakfast for dinner is my favorite meal. Mom always made  it when Dad was out of town, which wasn't often. That made it even more  special."

Hannah pictured the four blond Matheson boys around the table with their  mother and smiled, misting over again. What were they like when they  were little? Sweet? Mischievous? She'd never heard one of them bad-talk  Lisa. She must have been one hell of a mother. Must still be.

"You all right?" Jake said.

"Yeah. I'm emotional today," Hannah said. "I was thinking about what you looked like when you were little."

He cast her a curious glance. "I've got a picture. Want to see it?"