The Maverick Cowboy(36)

"You okay with that?"

She looked up to find Blue behind her. He wore a gray Marine-related T-shirt and old jeans, and there was a smear of dirt on his cheek that made him look even hotter than usual. She found herself smiling at him like a besotted fool.

"I'm good."

He nodded and stepped back. "Need any help with anything else? Chase and I have just about finished setting up all the tables, chairs, and the awnings."

"I'm good. I've got Maria and Billy helping me out." She hesitated. "Is Maria okay?"

"In what way?" His gaze intensified. "Did she say anything to you?"

"She's just worried about her future. I tried to reassure her but-"

He cut across her. "I'll talk to her."

Jenna sighed. "Blue, this isn't something you can fix overnight. She's going to need time to learn to trust anyone again."

"I get that."

"Then don't go rushing in trying to make everything right, okay? The best thing you can do is provide her with a consistent and loving environment."

He nodded decisively. "I hear you."

He was about to turn away when she caught his hand. "I'm not trying to interfere or anything. It's just that-"

He squeezed her fingers hard. "Jenna, trust me. Anything you tell me at this point in time is golden. You understand what she's going through better than any of us."

"Okay then." She released her grip on him.

"Cool." He tipped his hat to her. "Then I'll start moving that mountain of beverages closer to the food tables. I'm not sure how many people were invited tonight, but I'm expecting the whole of Nor Cal." 

She smiled and then realized if she didn't get moving fast, she was about to drop the entire box on his boots. Not wanting to look like a wuss, she gathered her strength and tottered after Billy, placing the box carefully on the first of the long trestle tables.

"Two flower things for each table, I think, Maria."

As she worked, she couldn't help the odd glance back at Blue, who was shifting packs of water and beer as if they weighed nothing. He really did understand her. It was a pleasure to watch him in motion-especially now, as she was well acquainted with all that strength up close and personal.

She stared at his back. She would have to be careful. He would be so easy to love . . . Sure, he was exasperating and bossy, but his heart was in the right place. It must be nice to be so sure of everything. She'd had to fight for every speck of confidence she had. She'd also had enough therapy to realize that no one could give her that sense of self-worth but herself, so she wasn't expecting some man to rescue her. Most days she was proud of what she'd achieved and knew that if it came down to it, she was a survivor.

The thing was . . . Blue Morgan made her want more than that. He made her want to be someone's number one priority. She had a sense that if he decided to love you, then you were set for life. But deserving that love, and living up to it? She got the feeling he wasn't very good at forgiving failure in himself or in anyone else. Would she want to risk all she had achieved in her life just for a shot at something even better? That was the million-dollar question, and it was one she wasn't ready to answer yet.

So she would enjoy what she had and maybe allow herself to hope things might get even better.

* * *

"What time is Ry showing up?" Chase asked.

"I've already told you about six times. I don't know. He's not exactly chatty."

"But he did say he was coming?"

Blue shot his brother an exasperated look as he stacked another case of water on top of the tower. "I know you like everything to be organized, but I can't help you. If he said he was coming, he'll turn up. That's it."

Chase grimaced. "Sorry. I'm just anxious about seeing him again."

"I get it." Blue bent to pick up another load of water. "The fact that he decided to come is a major indicator that he wants to make things better. I've been at him for months to get down here."

"Thanks." Chase hoisted a box of beer onto the table, making all the glass clink together, and split the cardboard open with his knife. "Ruth's been nagging them, too."

"And that usually works. You and I came back, didn't we?"

Chase smiled for the first time. "Yeah, we did. I'm glad about that and that we found a way to save the ranch." He put the beer into one of the waiting ice chests and closed the lid. "Maybe one day the twins will want to make the ranch their home as well. Plenty of places to build a house on Morgan land."

"Yeah, about that . . ." Blue straightened. "I'd like to have my own place one day."

"Sure. After the party, we can sit down as a family and work out where you want to put it."

"Really?"

Chase shrugged. "Hell, we're going to be constructing all those guest cottages in the next few months, so why not take advantage of that and get your own place started?"

"That would be awesome." Blue took off his gloves. "I kind of picked out a spot I liked a few weeks ago. I've never had my own house."

"Then it's about time that you did." Chase nodded and then looked over Blue's shoulder. "Who's that?"



       
         
       
        

An unfamiliar brown truck had drawn up alongside Blue's.

"No idea. Let's go and find out."

Blue led the way, watching carefully as a man got out of the driver's side and stood looking up at the menacing backdrop of the Sierra Nevada. He whistled and then turned to Blue, who had to look up at him. He was about an inch shorter than Chase, who topped out at six-foot-two.

"Dude. I'd forgotten that view."

"Ry?" Blue held out his hand.

"Yeah." Ry offered his own. "You're definitely BB, so this must be TC."

"Chase." Chase held out his hand. "It's good to see you."

Ry looked Chase over, his expression serious. "BB says you're okay, so I suppose I have to give you a chance."

"You don't have to, but I'd be glad if you would." Chase hesitated. "I should've reached out to you more often, but I got so busy with my own life that I let everything else go."

"It's okay." Ry shrugged. "Me and HW had each other."

"Will you stay for a few days?" Chase asked. "There's a lot to talk about."

"Sure." Ry looked over at the tables. "Is that Ruth over there? Cool." He strode away, leaving Blue staring at Chase.

"Is it really going to be that easy?" Chase grimaced. "I thought it would be like talking to you in those early days."

"Ry's nothing like me. He's deep."

"True, so I bet he's got a few things to say. We'll just have to wait him out."

Blue was just about to walk away when he thought of something. "I didn't tell him Billy was here. Did you?"

"How could I? Ry's not been communicating with me."

"Hell." Blue set off toward Ry and Ruth, but Billy and Maria were already on an intercept path heading back to Chase's truck. He heard Ruth call out to her son.

"Billy, come over and see who's here."

Blue picked up his pace as Billy slowly turned to look up at Ry.

"Good to see you, Dad."

To Blue's astonishment Ry enveloped Billy in a one-arm hug, which was warmly returned.

"You two are okay with each other?" Blue asked.

"Sure." Ry's golden gaze fastened on him. "We're cool. Dad came out and saw me and HW at the rodeo whenever he could."

"Did he?"

Billy's smile dimmed as he detached himself from Ry and faced Blue.

"BB-"

Blue opened his mouth and was distracted by a pull on his sleeve. 

"Don't be mean to him."

He looked down at Maria. "I'm not going to be mean. I just asked a question."

Her eyes filled with tears. "But you made him sad."

"I . . . didn't mean to do that. I didn't know Billy was seeing my brothers when I wouldn't let him see me. So if anyone should be sad, it should be me for being a complete ass."

"Okay." She patted his arm. "Now, say sorry."

Blue looked up at his father and Ry. "She's right. I'm sorry."

Another tug brought his head down and Maria planted a kiss on his chin. "Now don't you feel so much better?"

He smiled at her. "Actually, I do. Where did you learn to be so smart?"

"My mom."

"She must have been a very special lady."

Maria nodded and then skipped after Ruth, who was busy with the exact placement of the food.

"Who's the little girl?" Ry asked.

"Her name's Maria." Blue met his gaze. "That's a story for another day. For now, just remember she's family, okay?"

He nodded at his younger brother and went back to finish sorting the beverages. No doubt Billy would fill Ry in on the details of Maria's parentage. His hand curled into a fist.

So he really had been the only one of Billy's sons to completely repudiate his father? All the others had grown up and realized there were more sides to a story than you could ever imagine. Except he hadn't learned that. He was late to the party as usual, due to his inflexible nature.

"Are you okay?"

He was staring so hard at the ground that he almost walked into Jenna and had to catch her by the elbows to stop her from falling.