The Cowboy's Way(17)

“When we got to talking about my new place the other night, I forgot to ask what you want me to bring to the New Year’s Eve party.” Nate paused a moment before adding, “And keep in mind that I don’t know beans from buckshot about cooking so it will have to be something I can buy that’s already prepared.”

“Don’t worry about it,” T.J. answered. “Taylor volunteered herself and Bria to handle the food.” Taylor had been a personal chef before she married Lane and the woman was as passionate about food as she was about their brother—and Bria was the best home cook in central Texas.

“You know we really lucked out in the sisters-in-law department,” Nate commented. “Bria and Taylor are the best cooks in the whole damned state and Summer loves to plan all the other details for our get-togethers. We don’t have to do a thing but show up.”

T.J. chuckled. “Like you’d do anything even if they didn’t.”

“Hey, like I told you. I could buy food that’s already cooked to bring to the parties,” Nate answered, sounding quite pleased with himself about that contribution.

“What are you going to do when you move to Twin Oaks Ranch?” T.J. asked, laughing. “You’ll eventually get tired of slapping a piece of meat between two slices of bread or zapping something in the microwave.”

“I’ll do the same as you, smart-ass,” Nate retorted. “I’ll hire a housekeeper who cooks.”

“Touché, Romeo.” T.J. laughed out loud. “I didn’t think you’d made any plans past fixing up your ranch house into a pleasure palace.” He couldn’t help but grin. “Maybe you’re finally starting to grow up.”

“Nah.” Nate laughed. “Then I’d be too much like your sorry hide.”

“What’s wrong with that?” T.J. asked, going along with his brother’s good-natured ribbing.

“If I was like you, I’d strike out every time I tried to talk to a woman.” Nate grunted. “You know as much about women as I know about cooking.”

“Oh, really?” T.J. knew better, but asked anyway. “What makes you say that?”

“Take your neighbor lady for example. Instead of showing her your ornery side when you took her horse back to her, you should have turned on the charm,” Nate said as if he was an expert on the subject of the fairer sex. “You should have smiled and had a friendly little chat with her about something like the weather or that new steakhouse up in Stephenville—anything other than the real reason you were there. By the time you got around to leaving, I’m betting she’d have offered to have her hired hands fix that fence without you even having to bring up the subject. You would have gotten what you wanted and she’d have thought it was her idea to take care of it for you.”

T.J.’s good humor suddenly drained away like water running through a sieve. Heather and his run-ins with her had been a touchy subject with him before, but after getting to know her a little better over the past couple of days and learning that she might be trying to run the Circle W without any kind of help, he felt too guilty to discuss the matter with anyone, and especially not with his skirt-chasing brother.

Of course, Nate had no way of knowing any of the details about the past forty-eight hours and T.J. had no intention of enlightening him. But Nate’s comments were hitting a little too close to what T.J. had already figured out for himself—he’d been a prized jackass in his handling of the situation.

Deciding it was definitely time for a change in the direction of their conversation, he knew exactly what to say to distract Nate. “So how’s that kind of thinking working out for you with that little blonde over in Waco?” T.J. asked.

She was the only woman Nate had ever returned to after moving on to other conquests, and their on-again, off-again relationship had the entire family speculating if she was the one who would finally cure Nate of his wild ways.

There was a long pause and T.J. wasn’t sure his brother hadn’t hung up on him.

“Jessica and I aren’t seeing each other anymore,” Nate finally said, sounding a little less sure of himself.

“Again? Want to talk about it?” T.J. asked.

“There’s nothing much to say,” Nate said, his tone quiet. “She wants one thing and I want another.”

They were both silent for several long moments before T.J. offered, “You know any one of us will listen if you change your mind.”

“Hey, you know me. I’m just fine.” Nate’s laughter sounded a bit forced. “I like keeping my options open.”