“She was angry at first, but after she thought about it, she said that everything would work out fine. I could go play my war games, and she could have fun doing the sorority thing. We would have a long-distance relationship and get married in four years. When I camehome after basic, she had returned the ring to my mother and had gone off on a trip to Paris with some of her friends before she started at the university. She left a note for me saying that she wanted to enjoy her college experience without being tied down.”
The romance books I had read told me that was probably the reason he was thirty-eight and had never married. “And you never got over the heartbreak?”
“I was more relieved than anything. Being away, and in a place where I wasn’t any better or worse than any other guy, had already taught me a lot. The major thing was that I was too young to tie myself down, even if the engagement was supposed to last for four years. Now, let’s talk about how many old boyfriends you introduced to Frank.”
“None,” I answered. “You are my first boyfriend.”
Jackson braked, pulled the truck over on the side of the road, and stared at me. “You have got to be kidding me.”
“I have kissed guys. I slept with a few, but my lifestyle didn’t have room for anything that lasted more than forty-eight hours. Until I came here, I didn’t realize that it wasn’t normal.”
He put the truck back into gear and started driving. A couple of long, pregnant moments passed. I thought I’d really like to go out with him again—maybe more than once.
“What are you thinking?” I finally asked.
“That in a lot of respects, we have lived similar lives. I didn’t feel like I could get involved with someone for a long-term relationship when I was in the military. It wouldn’t be fair for either of us. Sometimes I was gone for six months at a time, and in places where a woman couldn’t go. Or would even want to. I had some of those short-lived flings, too. Can I see you again tomorrow?”
“That was abrupt,” I answered.
“Well, it was on my mind and just came out,” he said.
“We’re already committed to go to church with Scarlett and Grady, and have supper with his family after that,” I reminded him. “Unless you stand me up.”
“Never,” he grinned. “Shall I pick you up, or are we meeting at the church?”
“Let’s meet there. I’ll be the one sitting beside Scarlett.”
He turned onto the highway on the west end of the Tumbleweed. “I’ll get there early enough to walk inside with you.”
“Why?”
“Because a sexier guy might sit down beside you, and then there would be a fight right there in front of the Mendoza family and even God.” He held my hand all the way to the door. “Thanks again for being so understanding about my mother crashing our date.”
His mouth closed on mine, and the kiss was hot enough to melt all the snow between the trailer and the restaurant in El Paso.
He took a step back. “Was that as good for you as it was for me?”
“If Rosie wasn’t home, I would invite you inside and show you how good it was.”
“I really like you, Carla Wilson,” he whispered.
“I really like you, Jackson Armstrong—and it has nothing to do with your name.”
Chapter Nineteen
How did your date go?” Rosie asked before I even closed the door.
“Were you waiting up for me?” I asked.
“Yep, I was,” she answered. “Ada Lou thinks she’s your grandmother, and that’s all right, but I’m of an age to be your mama, and that outranks her. That means that I can wait up for you to get home, be nosy, and ask questions. Pour yourself a glass of sweet tea and come and tell me all about the evening. Youknowyou want to talk to someone.”
I hung up my coat, filled a glass with ice and tea, and sat down beside her. “Yes, I do, but it might take a while.”
“Let’s start with something that’s been on my mind and has nothing to do with tonight. You mentioned a while back that men like Buddy made your skin crawl and said you would tell me why sometime.”
My nose crinkled at the thought of Buddy and the way his eyes followed me around the Tumbleweed. “Since he hasn’t been back in the café in weeks, I had forgotten about that sleazy piece of crap.”
“But you’ve never forgotten about men like him, have you?”
