Page 19 of Sweet Obsession
Shaking her head, she heaved a short sigh. “No.”
“Good.” His smile stretched across his face. “I can’t tell you why, but I don’t like the man.”
Tilting her head, she studied him more closely. Was this brotherly protective instincts, or was she reading something more into his reaction?
At the entrance to the barn, Blake paused and looked in the doorway. “Some folks might think me mad, but I’ve missed the smell of a stable.”
A burst of laughter escaped. For the first time all evening, she felt relaxed and comfortable in her own skin. “You can take the boy out of Texas but you can’t take Texas out of the boy.”
Now he laughed. “I guess not.”
“You’re glad to be back, aren’t you?” She wasn’t sure why she stated the obvious, but she got the feeling he hadn’t quite embraced how much home felt like home.
Looking over an open stall, he shifted his focus from the horse inside to her and let out a low huff. “I guess I really am.” The horse nickered at him, and chuckling, Blake reached over and scratched the mare’s neck, and she leaned into him. “That’s my girl,” he cooed.
Jillian had no idea how any of this had come to pass. What was she doing here with a famous rock star? What was he thinking agreeing to pretend marry her? “Are we really going to do this?” Hearing her words out loud surprised her.
Stepping back, nodding his head, Blake turned to her. “Yeah. I think we are.”
The air grew thick, so thick she was sure if she waved her arms it would separate like the Red Sea. “We have to fool everyone. It’s not just on paper. My mom, the town, the lawyers, the bank.”
Again, Blake nodded. Stepping to the side, he took hold of her hand again, leaned forward, and whispered within a few inches of her, “Just for practice.”
She’d barely processed the words when his lips pressed against hers. Softly, sweetly, so very tenderly. Then, before she could lean into the kiss, he pulled back and she had to resist the urge to touch her fingers to her tingling lips. There was one thingshe was absolutely sure about… she had no idea what the heck she was getting into.
Chapter Ten
The morning after Kade’s chaotic return, a surprising sense of calm had settled over the Sweet Ranch. As his mother had predicted, Kade was sleeping in, a small indulgence after years of military structure. Blake, however, felt a restless energy he couldn’t shake. He needed to go to town, to see his grandmother, to tell her about the appointment Doc Conroy had arranged for her in a few days. It was an errand, but it felt like a mission, one small, concrete step forward in the mess of uncertainty.
Forgoing a second cup of coffee, he grabbed his keys from the bowl by the door. Alice Sweet intercepted him, her gaze swept from his baseball cap down to his designer boots and back up again. She shook her head with the same expression she’d worn when catching one of her boys trying to sneak a frog into Sunday service.
“Here.” Handing him a well-worn cowboy hat hanging on a peg near the door, her tone left no room for argument. “This is Texas, Blake, not Yankee Stadium.” She then nodded toward the window where his black rental SUV gleamed in the sun. “And for heaven’s sake, take one of the ranch trucks. That shiny thing makes you stick out like the Secret Service. You might as well hang a banner across the back that shouts Blake Kirby is back in town. Though I don’t understand why you being here has to besuch a secret. This town takes care of its own, and like it or not, you’re still one of ours.”
“Yes, ma’am.” A slow smile tugged at Blake’s lips. There was no arguing with Alice Sweet’s logic. Sliding his sunglasses into place, he swapped his usual baseball cap for the cowboy hat, the traditional accessory settling comfortably on his head. The parts about not needing to keep secrets and still being one of the town’s own, he wasn’t so sure about.
Driving down Main Street, he decided to stop at Heaven Scent first. The thought of seeing Jillian, even for a moment, was a stronger pull than he cared to admit. Pulling into an open spot in front, his phone beeped with another message from his manager, Phil. Did that man never give up?
Stepping away from the parked truck, he paused by the large plate glass window. Jillian stood behind the counter, her head bent over something. The little bell above the door chimed as he entered. The air inside filled with a warm, fragrant cloud of vanilla, lavender, and the distinctly popular Honeysuckle.
The scene playing out in front of the counter stopped him in his tracks. Not the candles, or the tantalizing aromas, but two little girls. Considering their matching golden locks and pink hair bows, he’d guess sisters. Both stood on tiptoes, their heads barely clearing the countertop. One had a small, determined hand planted on a pale yellow candle, the other had meticulously arranged a small pile of coins and crumpled dollar bills in front of Jillian.
“Our mama loves yellow roses,” the older one announced with grave importance. “Tomorrow is her birthday. We want to give her this one.”
Jillian leaned forward, her expression a perfect blend of sweetness and serious consideration. Blake watched, fascinated. This was a side of her he hadn’t considered—not just a grown-up, but a business owner, a gentle pillar of her community.
“What a thoughtful gift. I’m sure your mama is going to love it.” She made a show of carefully counting the pile of money, her lips moving silently. Then, with the solemnity of a bank teller, she picked out a quarter and pushed it back toward the girls. “And here’s your change.”
The girls’ faces lit up like Christmas morning. “Really?” the one who’d been holding the candle asked.
“Really.” Jillian’s smile was nearly as bright as the two little girls. “And since it’s for your mama’s birthday, I think we should wrap it up special, don’t you?” She disappeared for a moment, returning with a small, cheerful gift bag and a cascade of tissue paper.
She wrapped the candle with a care and artistry that seemed far beyond the small transaction. Completely unbidden, a genuine smile spread across his face.
“There you go.” She handed the bag to the girl who’d counted out the money. “I hope your mama loves it.”
“She will!” both girls chorused, practically bouncing with excitement as they rushed past Blake without a second glance, their treasure clutched safely between them, already chattering about their mother’s surprise.
Blake stood there for a moment, something shifting in his chest as he watched Jillian straighten the counter. Who knew that the quiet little kid who used to watch her brothers like they were a forbidden movie would grow up to be not only pretty and smart, but as sweet as her name? Of course those kids didn’t have near enough money for the retail value of that candle, but that wasn’t the point. Jillian was a good sport—no, she was more than that. She was kind in a way that came from the heart, not from obligation. Treating two little girls buying a candle for their mother as if they were her most important customers of the day. The contrast between her world and his suddenly became very illuminating.
