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Authors: Cara North
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cared about his family and their legacy. It was going to be hard not to fall head over heels for Jack Johnson.
"You know, I don't really know. Heath's house is the one we grew up in. Maybe because I was the first to move out? Next thing I knew they just moved in with me. Then, when momma left, they stayed. Rafe has been making changes to his house over the years. Heath hasn't changed a thing. And Jan, she moved into hers the day she got married, and it has been an uphill climb for her. She won't let us help, but we see them struggling."
"Didn't she get an inheritance, too?” She was trying to remember as much information as she could about his complex family relationships. She was an only child, so there was never anyone to debate with, share secrets with, or any of those fun things. Just her girlfriends, and since they each in their own way thought they were better than her, she kept her secrets to herself. Jack talked more than any man she had ever known, personal conversation anyways. Her father and Douglas could talk business for hours, but she never could hold a real conversation with either of them.
"No, not yet. The will was very clear. We have to be over twenty-five, married, or wait until our sixtieth birthday.” Jack smiled. “I think he did it because he wanted us to at least be old enough to make smart decisions. Of course, we'll be married by the time we are all sixty. It just gave us a little push to think about it sooner rather than later."
"So, why haven't you all married before now?"
"That, my sweet wife, is the question everyone asks.” He looked at her and winked. Strange how such a simple gesture sent goose bumps down her arms. It was delightful to have his attention.
"At first, we rebelled against it. We didn't need the money, and we didn't want it if we had to get married in order to get it. Ranching isn't easy, and women can get in the way. We all worked outside the ranch, saving and building. Of course, a couple years passed, and we realized even with our jobs, especially with our jobs, there was no way to work and build the ranch."
"So, you decided to come to Vegas and get hitched?” She nodded, ignored the part about women getting in the way, and smiled. “I understand."
"No. You don't. I was supposed to bring my ex-girlfriend to Vegas and get hitched.” He snorted.
"What?” She sat up straighter and looked at him. Something inside her was fired by his revelation. It was not anger exactly. Maybe hurt, but that did not make sense. As the next words fell out of her mouth, she knew exactly what it was. Jealousy. “What bitch were you planning on marrying, Jack Johnson?"
"Christina, we dated off and on since high school, so I figured it had to mean something, right?” Jack shrugged as though it meant nothing. “She's a nice girl really."
"No. That doesn't mean anything.” She still peered at him as she crossed her arms. Christina. The word was permanently branded on her skull. What did she look like? Had they been lovers? She snorted. Of course, they had been lovers. She could feel the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She had never been so angry in all her life. To think of some other woman draped on Jack just fueled her more.
"Okay. I thought it meant something, but then she told me she wouldn't divorce me unless I gave her half.” He shook his head again. “I have no plans of giving our money to anyone. We need it for the ranch."
"You didn't think she knew, and you weren't planning on divorcing her, were you?” She knew the feeling in the pit of her stomach now. Loss. She had experienced it over and over with her father. Now, she knew Jack was not hers. He really cared about some other woman, and in three months, she would be out the door.
"It's not like that at all.” He shook his head.
"I need to use the bathroom. Can we pull over at the next stop?"
"Are you okay, sweetheart?” he asked in a sincere tone, which alone was like tossing gasoline on her
"You know, I don't really know. Heath's house is the one we grew up in. Maybe because I was the first to move out? Next thing I knew they just moved in with me. Then, when momma left, they stayed. Rafe has been making changes to his house over the years. Heath hasn't changed a thing. And Jan, she moved into hers the day she got married, and it has been an uphill climb for her. She won't let us help, but we see them struggling."
"Didn't she get an inheritance, too?” She was trying to remember as much information as she could about his complex family relationships. She was an only child, so there was never anyone to debate with, share secrets with, or any of those fun things. Just her girlfriends, and since they each in their own way thought they were better than her, she kept her secrets to herself. Jack talked more than any man she had ever known, personal conversation anyways. Her father and Douglas could talk business for hours, but she never could hold a real conversation with either of them.
"No, not yet. The will was very clear. We have to be over twenty-five, married, or wait until our sixtieth birthday.” Jack smiled. “I think he did it because he wanted us to at least be old enough to make smart decisions. Of course, we'll be married by the time we are all sixty. It just gave us a little push to think about it sooner rather than later."
"So, why haven't you all married before now?"
"That, my sweet wife, is the question everyone asks.” He looked at her and winked. Strange how such a simple gesture sent goose bumps down her arms. It was delightful to have his attention.
"At first, we rebelled against it. We didn't need the money, and we didn't want it if we had to get married in order to get it. Ranching isn't easy, and women can get in the way. We all worked outside the ranch, saving and building. Of course, a couple years passed, and we realized even with our jobs, especially with our jobs, there was no way to work and build the ranch."
"So, you decided to come to Vegas and get hitched?” She nodded, ignored the part about women getting in the way, and smiled. “I understand."
"No. You don't. I was supposed to bring my ex-girlfriend to Vegas and get hitched.” He snorted.
"What?” She sat up straighter and looked at him. Something inside her was fired by his revelation. It was not anger exactly. Maybe hurt, but that did not make sense. As the next words fell out of her mouth, she knew exactly what it was. Jealousy. “What bitch were you planning on marrying, Jack Johnson?"
"Christina, we dated off and on since high school, so I figured it had to mean something, right?” Jack shrugged as though it meant nothing. “She's a nice girl really."
"No. That doesn't mean anything.” She still peered at him as she crossed her arms. Christina. The word was permanently branded on her skull. What did she look like? Had they been lovers? She snorted. Of course, they had been lovers. She could feel the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She had never been so angry in all her life. To think of some other woman draped on Jack just fueled her more.
"Okay. I thought it meant something, but then she told me she wouldn't divorce me unless I gave her half.” He shook his head again. “I have no plans of giving our money to anyone. We need it for the ranch."
"You didn't think she knew, and you weren't planning on divorcing her, were you?” She knew the feeling in the pit of her stomach now. Loss. She had experienced it over and over with her father. Now, she knew Jack was not hers. He really cared about some other woman, and in three months, she would be out the door.
"It's not like that at all.” He shook his head.
"I need to use the bathroom. Can we pull over at the next stop?"
"Are you okay, sweetheart?” he asked in a sincere tone, which alone was like tossing gasoline on her
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