Jacqueline Diamond - Paris or Bust!

His mood lifting at the prospect of talking to her, Callum rapid-dialed her number. His heart gave a sharp thump when he heard a female voice, until he realized it wasn’t hers.

“Reilly residence,” said a familiar Texas twang.

“Hi, Gladys,” he said. “Is Jody around?”

“She went out,” said the forewoman. “I’m baby-sitting.”

Although he always enjoyed talking to the boys, Callum’s spirits nose-dived. “Do you expect her back soon?” Surely she couldn’t be out much longer. It was nearly nine o’clock in Texas, and ranchers kept early hours.

“I don’t expect so,” Gladys said. “I don’t suppose you’ve heard the news.”

“What news?” He hadn’t been gone long enough for anything major to change, surely.

“About her and Bo. It’s all over town that they’re engaged.”

“You’re joking, right?” Jody hadn’t shown a trace of interest in the man!

“She can hardly get out the door without someone congratulating her,” Gladys said. “Folks around here think it’s a great idea.”

“It’s a terrible idea,” Callum said. “She doesn’t love him.”

“He’s crazy about her.” That much was true, he supposed. How could a man help falling for Jody? “And the boys need a father.”

“They already have a father!” he said. “I won’t allow it.”

“I can’t see that it’s up to you,” Gladys answered in a maddeningly calm drawl. “You’re not here, if I may point out the obvious.”

“I’m going to be,” he said. “I’m coming right out. Don’t tell Jody. I don’t want to give her time to marshal her arguments.”

“My lips are sealed,” said Gladys.

At his request, she put the boys on the phone. Callum managed to concentrate long enough to enjoy their anecdotes about their games and the puppy. He assured them that he loved them and promised to see them before they knew it.

As soon as they hung up, he got on the Internet and booked the first available flight.

RUNNING THE Rototiller was hard work. Sweat trickled between Jody’s breasts, darkening her T-shirt as she pushed ahead, determined to finish the job this afternoon. The garden needed proper tilling to bear enough vegetables not only for eating but also for canning.

Behind her, the boys followed at a safe distance, collecting rocks and debris in buckets. The dirt smears on their faces testified to their enthusiasm.

She supposed she could have assigned Freddy to push the machine, but she relished accomplishing the hard task on her own. Maybe her father had been right that she wasn’t cut out to be a rancher, but he’d been right about her stubbornness, too.

Over the roar of the motor, she heard the boys shouting, so she turned it off. As the rumble died, Ben and Jerry were calling, “Daddy! Daddy!”

Impossible. Jody turned and stared. How could Callum be here? Yet there was no mistaking his grin, so bright it eclipsed the sun, as his sons pelted toward him across the yard. Tailored slacks and a soft jacket outlined the lean stretch of his body when he lifted first one and then the other overhead.

Too overwhelmed to react, Jody stood like a tree stump, waiting for this sophisticated apparition to acknowledge her. She hated being so disheveled but it couldn’t be helped.

After setting the boys on their feet, Callum let them tug him forward. At the edge of the dirt, he stopped to frown at her. She didn’t think he was really angry, but something must have put his nose out of joint.

“What?” she demanded.

“You are not going to marry that man!”

“Excuse me?”

“You don’t love Bo. He could never make you happy.” Callum folded his arms. “Furthermore, I refuse to let another man raise my sons. They’re mine and you’re mine.” He blinked as if surprised by his own words. “Not that I’m trying to boss you around. Well, yes, maybe I am. Break off the engagement. I’m not leaving till you do.”

Jody’s mind performed a rapid search of possibilities and hit on the obvious. Gladys must have told him about the sham engagement. Shame on her! And hoorah, too.

Apparently Callum had flown all the way to Texas to demand that she jilt Bo. Double hoorah! Unfortunately, once he learned the truth, he’d go straight home.

Jody decided not to let him off the hook yet. “It’s not every day an old maid rancher gets a proposal of marriage.”

“You’re no old maid. And there’s no reason to run down the aisle with the first man who asks you!” Callum snapped.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Jody said. “I have no intention of running at my own wedding. I might trip over my gown.” The boys stared from one to the other of them, trying to understand. Since this wasn’t an appropriate conversation for them to overhear, she said, “Why don’t you kids go tell Gladys that Callum is here? I think she’s in the barn.”

“Okay.” Ben turned to his brother. “Race you.”

“Loser!” said Jeremy, and took off running.

“I don’t understand,” Callum said when they were alone. “Why are you doing this?”

“Bo asked me to marry him,” Jody said. “He also told some people in town that we were engaged because he was trying to spare my reputation after you left. But I said no.”

For several heartbeats, Callum didn’t move. Finally, he said, “You’re not getting married?”

She shook her head. “No, although I was tempted.”

“Why?” he said.

“I told you. Because he asked me.”

He waited as if expecting more. When it didn’t come, he said, “That’s it? You were tempted to marry Bo because he asked you?”

“It’s more than you’ll ever do.” To Jody’s chagrin, her voice trembled.

“But I asked you to move to L.A.,” Callum said. “You and the boys.”

“What kind of commitment is that?” she demanded. “You want me to uproot my entire life so I can be your girlfriend? No, thanks.”

“Whoa.” He spread his hands to halt her.

In the past, she’d avoided confrontations from fear of alienating him. Well, she was finished letting fear run her life, and she didn’t intend to stop talking until she was good and ready.

“California is your turf, not mine,” Jody said. “You have your work and your friends. What about me? In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m not the type to hang on some guy’s coattails. I don’t want to be part of your entourage, Callum.”

“What entourage?”

“All those women who think you’re wonderful and those celebrities who invite you to their parties.” She barely caught her breath before raging on: “You’re going to be an even bigger deal once you’re on television. Maybe when they drop by your house, your pals will mistake me for the housekeeper. Won’t that be fun?”

He looked so bewildered she almost felt sorry for him. “Is this because I haven’t asked you to marry me?”

“You’re really slow on the uptake,” Jody said.

“But in L.A., people don’t worry about things like that,” he said.

“About things like what? A wedding ring?”

He nodded.

“I’m not from L.A. I’m from Texas.” As an afterthought, Jody threw in, “And so are you.”

“Good point,” said Callum. “Wait here.”

Without another word, he walked past the screened porch and disappeared around the chicken coop. Jody was so furious she wanted to scream, except that she didn’t see what good that would do. She was debating whether to turn the Rototiller back on and take out her frustrations on the hard ground when the boys dashed toward her.

“We can’t find Gladys,” Ben said, plowing right through the dirt.

“Where’s Daddy?” Jeremy trailed in his wake.

“I don’t know,” Jody said. “He’s kind of a funny guy sometimes.” An outrageous guy, she wanted to add, one who never made her forget she was alive.

If he were here right now, she’d slap him and then she’d hug him. Or maybe the other way around. Of course, once she hugged him, she might not feel like slapping him anymore.

“I see Daddy!” Jerry crowed. “I see him first!”

“I see him second!” cried Ben.

Callum swung through the afternoon carrying a big bunch of wildflowers. He raised them above his head, clasped both hands and gave a victory salute.

Okay, so I love him, Jody thought, her heart swelling. I must be the most foolish woman who ever lived.

He marched right through the freshly turned soil. In front of Jody, he dropped to his knees, extending the flowers. She took them as gently as if they were made of glass.

“Daddy, your pants will get dirty!” Ben said.

“Too late.” Callum chuckled. “Well, now that I’m here, everybody gather around.” They drew closer. Jody could hardly breathe. “First of all, I love you, Ben. I love you, Jerry. And I love you most of all, Jody.”

If a tornado had struck at that moment, she wouldn’t have stirred.

“If you would do me the honor of becoming my wife, I’d be the happiest man in the world,” he said. “I’ll sue anybody who claims he’s happier than me.”

“I was wrong,” she said. “You’re not a Texan anymore. Definitely from California.”

The interruption didn’t faze him. “I’ve given it a lot of consideration while I was picking these flowers and I’m willing to move the magazine to Dallas,” Callum said. “That’s as close as I can get and still have access to a major airport and the kinds of facilities we need. Maybe we can buy a ranch within commuting distance. What do you say, Jody? Will you meet me halfway?”

“You’d give up the West Coast for me?” she asked.

“I used to be afraid of getting trapped,” he said earnestly. “But I’ve changed. Setting the world on fire doesn’t mean much if there’s no hearth fire waiting for me at home. Not that I expect you to become my hausfrau when you look so cute behind a plow.”

“I look like an idiot,” Jody said. “I’m just stubborn, that’s all. I was never cut out to be a rancher. I’ve already decided that as soon as we can arrange it, I’m going to sell the ranch to Gladys. And since I’m going back to teaching, I might as well do it in Los Angeles.”