The Manning Sisters Read online

  The two men went back a long way, and Russ didn’t want their friendship to end because of one stubborn woman. “You’re planning on asking Taylor out, aren’t you?” he demanded when Cody didn’t immediately respond.

  Cody joined Russ at the table. “Actually, I wasn’t going to do anything of the kind. I asked her once already, and she turned me down. I figured she wasn’t interested, so I was willing to leave it at that.”

  “Then why are you here?”

  “Because she phoned the other day and asked me to dinner Friday night.” He paused to rub the side of his jaw. “I don’t mind telling you, I was taken aback by that. I’ve never had a woman ask me for a date.”

  “What did you tell her?”

  Cody looked uncomfortable. “I said I needed some time to think it over.”

  “So Taylor’s the one who called you?” Russ was surprised his voice sounded so normal.

  “I’ve never had a woman approach me like this,” Cody went on to say a second time. “I’m not sure I like it, either. It puts me in one hell of a position.” He twisted the mug around in his hands, as though he couldn’t locate the handle. “From what she said, I assume she intends to pay, too. I’ve never had a woman pay for my meal yet, and I’m not about to start now.”

  “Don’t blame you for that,” Russ felt obliged to say, although he couldn’t help being slightly amused. He didn’t need a script to realize what Taylor was doing. She’d asked Cody Franklin to dinner to prove something to herself and possibly to him.

  “You’ve got feelings for her, haven’t you?” Cody asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

  “You could say that,” Russ confirmed, understating his emotions by a country mile. He had feelings, all right, but he wasn’t willing to discuss them with his friend.

  Cody grinned, revealing even white teeth. Crow’s-feet crinkled at the corners of his eyes. “So, what do you want me to say to her?”

  “That you’ll be happy to let her buy you dinner.”

  Cody hesitated before taking a sip of his coffee. “You don’t mean that,” he finally said.

  “Yes, I do. In fact, I’ve never been more serious in my life.”

  “But—”

  “Taylor Manning doesn’t want anything to do with me.”

  “And you believe her?”

  Russ shrugged. “The way I see it, I don’t have any choice. If she wants to go out with you, fine. That’s her decision.”

  Cody shook his head. “I can’t believe I heard you right.”

  “You did. Trust me, dealing with this woman isn’t easy.”

  Cody set his half-finished coffee on the table and stood. “Okay, but I have the feeling you’re going to regret this.”

  Cody Franklin was as nice a man as Taylor had ever met. And a gentleman to boot. He arrived promptly at seven, dressed in a suit and tie. He really was handsome. Considerate. And Taylor was badly in need of some tender loving care. She’d just spent the most miserable week of her life, and an evening with a man who didn’t pose the slightest emotional threat was exactly what she needed to pull herself out of this slump. At least that was what she kept telling herself.

  “I hope I’m not too early,” Cody said, stepping inside and glancing around. Apparently he approved of what he saw, because he gave her a smile.

  “No, this is perfect.” She reached for her coat, but Cody took it from her hands and held it for her so she could slip it on. With a murmured thanks, she picked up her purse.

  “Before we leave,” he began, then cleared his throat, “there’s something I’d like understood. If we go to dinner, I pay the tab.”

  “But I invited you,” Taylor reminded him, somewhat surprised at the vehemence with which he spoke.

  “I pay or we don’t go.”

  Taylor couldn’t see any point in arguing. She’d encountered enough stubborn male pride with Russ to know it wasn’t going to do her any good. “If you insist.”

  “I do.”

  Once that was resolved, they managed to carry on a pleasant conversation while Cody drove to the restaurant. He’d chosen Larry’s Place, the one halfway decent eating establishment in town. Taylor hadn’t eaten there before, but she’d heard the food was good—and the company was exemplary. For the first time in a week she found herself smiling and talkative.

  The hostess escorted them to a table, and they were handed menus. It took Taylor only a moment to decide. Her appetite had been nonexistent for days, and she was determined to enjoy this evening no matter what.

  “Hello, Cody. Taylor.”

  Russ’s voice came at her like a blast of cold air. She drew in a deep breath before turning toward the man who’d dominated her thoughts all week. “Hello, Russ,” she said coolly.

  “Russ,” Cody said, standing. The two exchanged handshakes. “Good to see you again, Mary Lu.”

  “Have you met Taylor Manning?” Russ asked his date. His hand was casually draped over the other woman’s shoulder as he smiled down on her. “Taylor’s the new schoolteacher.”

  “Pleased to meet you,” Mary Lu said, and she actually sounded as if she was.

  Taylor smiled and nodded. The woman didn’t reveal a single shred of jealousy, she mused darkly. Surely by now everyone in town knew there was something going on between her and Russ. The least the other woman could do was look a little anxious. But then, why should she? Mary Lu was the one with Russ. Taylor was with Cody Franklin.

  Cody reclaimed his seat. “Would you two care to join us?”

  Taylor’s heart shot upward and seemed to lodge in her throat. Seeing Russ accompanied by another woman was painful enough without having to make polite conversation with them for the rest of the evening.

  “Another time,” Russ said. His thoughts apparently reflected her own.

  Taylor was so grateful, she nearly leaped from her chair to thank him with a kiss. It wasn’t until he’d left the table that she realized how tense she was. Smiling in Cody’s direction, she forced herself to relax. Elbows on the table, she leaned toward her date. “So how long have you been in law enforcement?”

  “Since I graduated from college,” he answered, but his concentration wasn’t on her. Instead, his gaze followed Russ and Mary Lu to the other side of the restaurant.

  His frown disturbed her. “Is something wrong?” she asked.

  “I don’t know yet.”

  Taylor sighed. This whole evening was a mistake. She’d phoned and asked Cody to dinner for two reasons. The first and foremost was simply because she was lonely, and the thought of spending another weekend alone was more than she could bear. The second was to prove that…She was no longer sure what she’d hoped to accomplish.

  Cody sipped his water. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

  This man certainly didn’t pull any punches. The least he could’ve done was lead into the subject of Russ Palmer with a little more tact. Taylor considered pretending she didn’t know what he was talking about, but that would’ve been ridiculous.

  She lowered her gaze to the tablecloth. “I don’t know if I love him or not.”

  “What’s there to know? I saw the look in your eyes just now. Russ walked in with Mary Lu, and I swear you nearly keeled over.”

  “You’re wrong. I was mildly surprised, that’s all.”

  “It doesn’t bother you that he’s with Mary Lu?”

  She managed a casual shrug. “Not really. I wasn’t expecting to see him. If I reacted, which I don’t think I did, it was due to that and that alone.”

  “So what are you going to do about it?”

  “Do about what?”

  “The way you feel for Russ.”

  “I’m not going to do anything.” She didn’t need time to make that decision; it had been made weeks earlier. All the arguments she’d put forth, time and again, crowded her mind. All the reasons a relationship with him couldn’t work…Yet she couldn’t turn her eyes away from Russ, couldn’t stop gazing at him with an emotional hunger that left her tre
mbling.

  “He loves you, too,” Cody whispered. He reached across the table and took hold of her hand. “I don’t know what drove you two apart, but I’m here to tell you right now, it’s eating him alive.” His smile was gentle, concerned. “It seems to be having the same effect on you.”

  “It’s not that simple,” she whispered.

  A long moment passed before Cody spoke again. “Nothing worthwhile ever is.”

  “Taylor, do you realize what time it is?” her sister, Christy, groaned after she answered the phone on the fifth ring.

  “I’m sorry…I should’ve checked,” Taylor said, feeling utterly foolish and completely miserable.

  Christy yawned loudly. “It’s three in the morning! Why are you phoning at this hour? Are you all right? You’re not in trouble, are you?”

  If only Christy knew! “I…was calling to see if you were going to be free next weekend.”

  “Are you flying home? Oh, Taylor, it would be so good to see you. I can’t believe how much I miss you. Paul, Jason and Rich, too. Mom and Dad don’t say much, but know they feel the same way.”

  “No, but I’ll be in Reno, and I thought that, well…I was hoping I could talk you into joining me. There are a bunch of cheap flights out of Sea-Tac and I thought maybe you could meet me in Nevada.”

  Christy slowly released her breath. “I can’t. I’m really sorry, but I can’t possibly swing it at this late date. What will you be doing in Reno?”

  “Nothing much. The drill team is competing there, and I volunteered to be a chaperone—but apparently the team will be busy for two days and I’m going to have a lot of time to kill. I thought it would be fun if we got together.”

  “All right, Taylor,” Christy said after a moment. “What’s wrong? And don’t try to tell me nothing. The last time you called me at three in the morning was when…I’m sure you remember.”

  “This doesn’t have anything to do with Mark.”

  “Thank God for that.” Her voice lowered slightly with concern. “What’s wrong, then?”

  Taylor reached for a tissue and blew her nose loudly. “I…think I’m in love.”

  Christy groaned again. “You’ve got to be kidding. Who?”

  “His name is Russ Palmer and he owns a cattle ranch.”

  “I was afraid of that. I read your last letter to Mom and Dad and it was full of that cowboy! It was Russ this and Mandy that. Taylor, get control of yourself. You don’t want to spend the rest of your life on a ranch out in the wilds of Montana, do you?”

  “Of course not!” Taylor sobbed. “The last thing I intended to do was fall in love—especially with someone who thinks just like Dad.”

  “Your cowboy believes women shouldn’t have the right to vote?” Christy asked, aghast.

  Taylor started to laugh even while she was crying. “He said he doesn’t care if we vote. It’s females holding public office that bothers him.” She paused. “He knows how much I hate it when he says stuff like that. He does it to get a rise out of me and it works every time.”

  She could hear Christy taking a deep breath and imagined her mentally counting to ten. “Listen, Taylor, you’re my sister and my dearest friend. What you feel isn’t love. It’s a natural and common emotion following the breakup of any romance.”

  “That’s what I thought…at first.”

  “You were right. For most of your life your judgment was totally sound. Nothing’s changed all that much. So you made a mistake with Mark. So what? But when you come out of a long-term relationship, there’s an emptiness and the normal reaction is to immediately find someone to fill it.”

  “I don’t think that applies in this case,” Taylor argued. In the beginning she’d assumed the same thing, but not anymore. This ache she felt went deeper than anything she’d ever experienced.

  “You’ve spent the past six weeks in a town where no one even accepts American Express,” Christy reminded her. “Taylor, this thing with the cowboy is all due to what happened with Mark. You’re away from your family. You’re lonely and vulnerable, and it’s only natural to find yourself attracted to another man. I know I would be if the situations were reversed.”

  “You would?”

  “Of course,” Christy said smoothly and with conviction. “Just hold on for another week, and once you’re in Reno, where there are real stores and real people, you can reevaluate your feelings. I’m sure being there will help clear your mind.”

  “Do you honestly think so?”

  “I know so,” Christy said without the least qualm. “Now take two aspirin, go to bed and call me next week when you get back from Reno. Ten to one, you’re going to feel a lot different than you do tonight.”

  “Okay,” Taylor said. After a few more minutes she replaced the receiver, convinced her sister was right.

  The next week flew past, the days blending as Taylor threw herself into her job. Friday afternoon, her suitcase packed, she headed for the school bus and the twenty girls who comprised the Cougar Point High School Drill Team.

  The first girl she saw was Mandy, who flew across the yard and hugged Taylor close. “I’m so glad you’re going with us.”

  “Me, too,” Taylor said, meaning it.

  Mandy reached for Taylor’s suitcase, setting it beside the others. “Everyone’s here except the driver.” She paused and rolled her eyes. “But then he’s always late.”

  The girls gathered around Taylor, and soon they were chatting away like old friends. Taylor knew many of the team members as well as their coach.

  “Everyone ready?” a male voice called out.

  Taylor recognized it immediately as Russ’s. She swallowed and turned toward him, frowning. “What are you doing here?” she demanded.

  He tossed one suitcase into the compartment on the side of the bus and then another. “The same thing as you,” he said without the least animosity. “You’re a chaperone, and I happen to be driving the bus.”

  Twelve

  It wasn’t the twenty boisterous, exuberant high-school girls who were driving Russ crazy. They sang, they cheered and they shouted as he drove the school bus across three states.

  No, it wasn’t the girls—it was Taylor. Taylor, who laughed and sang. Taylor, who joked and teased as if she hadn’t a care in the world.

  Each and every one of those girls adored her. The problem was, so did Russ.

  Other than their brief exchange before they’d boarded the bus, she hadn’t said more than a handful of words to him. True, there hadn’t been a lot of opportunity. They’d stopped in Billings for something to eat and she’d sat in a booth surrounded by teenagers. Russ had eaten with Carol Fischer, the drill team coach, and another of the chaperones. Carol and he had exchanged a few pleasantries, but the entire time they were eating, Russ had found his gaze drawn again and again to the table next to his where Taylor was seated.

  He would’ve liked nothing better than to get Taylor alone for a few hours. Then, and only then, would he have the chance to talk some sense into that stubborn head of hers.

  Okay, she’d gone and fallen in love with the wrong man. Everyone made an error in judgment at some point, but that was in the past and Russ was very much part of the present. Although he told himself this a hundred different times and in as many different ways, the thought of Taylor aching, wanting, crying over another man felt like a knife slicing deep into his heart. It hurt so much that for a moment he couldn’t breathe normally. Hell, he hadn’t been breathing normally from the second he’d stumbled upon Taylor in the five-and-dime last September.

  The long, lonely miles sped past. The girls gave up singing even before they left Montana. Around midnight the only one on the bus who wasn’t sleeping was Russ.

  “Do you want some coffee?”

  Taylor’s soft voice behind him sounded like an angel’s, Russ thought gratefully.

  “Russ?”

  “Please.” He waited to speak until she’d poured him some from the thermos she carried and he’d sipped it, appr
eciating the way it revived him. “I figured everyone was asleep.”

  “They are.”

  “What’s keeping you awake?” He’d love it if she admitted he’d been in her thoughts for two desolate weeks and that she couldn’t let another hour pass, or even another second without telling him how she felt.

  “I never could sleep in a moving vehicle.”

  “Oh,” he said, trying to disguise his disappointment. He should know by now that Taylor wasn’t going to fulfill his fantasies by saying all the things he longed to hear.

  “How have you been?”

  They’d barely said a word to each other in two weeks, he mused darkly, frowning, and she was asking about his health!

  Briefly he wondered what she’d say if he told her he wasn’t sleeping well, his mood was sour and he couldn’t sit down to a single meal without suffering indigestion afterward. All these ailments he attributed entirely to her stubbornness.

  “I’m fine,” he said instead. “How about you?”

  “Fine, just fine.”

  “Now we’ve got that settled, what else would you like to talk about? The weather seems a safe enough subject, doesn’t it?”

  “I…I think I’ll go back and check on the girls.”

  “You do that,” he muttered, then immediately wanted to kick himself for being such an idiot. At least Taylor had been willing to talk to him, which was a lot better than the strained silence that had existed between them up to this point.

  It wasn’t until midafternoon the following day that they pulled in to the congested streets of Reno. The girls were leaning out the windows, shouting at tourists, while Carol and the other adults attempted to calm their rampant enthusiasm.

  Carol and Russ had traded off driving, but like Taylor, Russ didn’t sleep well in a moving vehicle. He leaned back, shoved his hat low over his face and did a fair job of pretending, but he hadn’t slept a wink in over twenty-four hours.