“I could tell him,” she mused with a nod. “But then there’d be a fight.”
“I’m not afraid of Travis.” Caleb had no intention of lying about his relationship with Mandy.
“I meant with me, not you. And, with everything else going on, I really don’t have the energy to fight Travis.”
“I don’t like this,” said Caleb. He wanted her to stay right where she was. He wanted to hold her in his arms all night long, maybe even beyond that.
She cocked her head, defying his mood by giving him a saucy grin. “A few minutes ago, you seemed to like it just fine.”
“I don’t want to go sneaking around behind your family’s back.”
She patted his chest. “For now, let’s just keep it quiet. Who knows what happens next between us. Maybe nothing.”
Caleb was hoping for a lot more than nothing.
“If you go ahead with your plan to sell, you know you could be gone in a matter of days,” she reasoned. There was no inflection to her tone, impossible to tell if she’d miss Caleb or not.
Then she gave a wry half smile. “You want to start world war three over something this insignificant?”
“Because, believe me, Caleb, Travis is as overprotective as they come.” She glanced at her watch. “I go home now, he can wonder, but he won’t know. And if he doesn’t know, he can’t go off the deep end.”
Caleb ran his fingers through her messy hair. “This is a stupid plan.”
“But it’s my plan.” This time, there was a distinct edge to her voice. “Some decisions you get to make, Caleb. This one is mine.”
He stared at the determination in her green eyes.
“Okay,” he finally agreed. He’d keep the secret. Lady’s choice. And he didn’t kiss and tell.
The lights were on, and Travis was still up when Mandy came through the front door of the Jacobses’ ranch house. He appeared in the kitchen doorway, a screwdriver in one hand, a rag in the other.
He stared at her for a long, silent minute as she tugged off her boots and tucked her loose hair behind her ears.
He took two steps forward. “Tell me you didn’t.”
“Didn’t what?” She steeled herself for a moment then met his gaze full-on.
“Mandy.” He smacked the screwdriver and rag on top of the dining-room table. “He’ll break your heart.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She had her suspicions, but she didn’t know for sure, so it wasn’t a lie.
“What do I always tell you?” He came forward at an angle, giving her the impression he was circling in.
“You’re going to have to be a little more specific.”
“We’re not like you, Mandy. We’re guys. We’ll say anything, do anything-”
“Caleb’s not like that.”
Travis scoffed out a cold laugh. “What did he tell you?”
“He didn’t tell me anything. And I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She stomped to the sofa and flopped down, picking up this month’s
Travis moved to the armchair across from her. “He’s from Chicago, Mandy. He’s not staying.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” Mandy didn’t expect Caleb to stay. Her wildest wish was that he’d hang around long enough to meet up with Reed. Beyond that, she had absolutely no illusions.
“The women he goes out with,” Travis continued. “They know the score. They expect the lies. They know they’re lies.”
“Caleb has not lied to me.”
“Then how’d he get you into bed.”
Mandy determinedly flipped her way through the pages of the magazine. “None of this is any of your damn business.”
“I love you, Mandy.”
“Shut up.”
“He doesn’t.”
She glanced over the top of the magazine. “What a ridiculous thing to say. Of course he doesn’t love me. Why would he love me?”
“Then why won’t you believe I have your best interest at heart?”
“I’m not a child, Travis. I like Caleb. Caleb likes me. Despite your cynicism, that’s all there is to it. I’m not about to get hurt. And that’s all you need to know.”
“Then, why were you up there tonight?”
“He needs help,” Mandy answered honestly.
“And you’re going to be his Florence Nightingale?”
“He needs to see Reed. The two of them need to talk, really talk. You don’t know what they went through as children.” She breathed deeply, absolutely sincere in her argument.
Travis sat back, his posture relaxing. “I have a pretty good idea what they went through. I knew them both quite well.”
Mandy dropped the magazine and sat forward. “Then help me find Reed. Caleb is determined to sell the ranch out from under him. He almost did it while we were in Lyndon. If I hadn’t spoken up about the water rights, we might already have new neighbors. Reed needs the ranch, and Caleb needs Reed.”
“You spoke up about the water rights review?”
“Yes.”
“To Caleb’s potential buyer?”
She paused. “It came up in conversation.”
“And you think Caleb still likes you?” Reed asked on a note of astonishment.
“He understood.”
“Mandy, the world isn’t the happy fun place you seem to picture. People aren’t sweet and kind and friendly, looking to do each other favors 24/7.”
“Will you stop?”
“Reed and Caleb are grown men,” Travis warned her darkly. “Neither of them is going to thank you for interfering.”
Well, at least Danielle was on her side. She’d definitely thank Mandy for interfering.
“What if it was you?” Mandy asked. “What if you and Seth were estranged? Would you not want someone to facilitate your reunion? If you were about to lose the ranch, would you not want someone to help you out?”
Travis moved from the armchair and angled himself next to Mandy on the sofa. “Those two men have a very dark past. They’re not going to recognize what you’re doing as helpful. They’re going to hate you for interfering.”
“Reed would never hate me.” And she had to believe Caleb wouldn’t, either. Oh, she was under no illusion that he was falling for her in a romantic sense. But he had been a gentleman, more than a gentleman.
“Reed’s been hurt pretty bad.”
“Yes, he has,” Mandy agreed. She paused, looking directly at the brother she’d loved all her life. “And he’s our friend. Do you really want me to turn my back on him?”
Travis mouthed a swearword, rocking back on the sofa. “You shouldn’t be sleeping with Caleb, Mandy.”
“I am not going to-”
“Stop talking right now,” Travis barked. “Before you have to lie to me. If you fall for him, it’s going to be a disaster.” He paused, his mouth turning into a thin line. “Then again, if you’re sleeping with him, it’s already too late.”
Mandy felt her throat close up with emotion. She couldn’t think about her feelings for Caleb, not right now, not when so much was at stake. “I have to find Reed.”
