Page 6 of Texas Made
Since that wasn’t happening, what would it hurt to ask her? She wouldn’t be staying with them that long. Just until her condo complex was finished with its remodeling or whatever they were doing to it. It wasn’t like he intended to have a relationship with Jaclyn. Hot sex? Sure. But a relationship? No way.
“How do you know I don’t already have a date?”
“Do you?”
“No. But I have someone in mind I was going to ask.” Which was a lie, but Damaris didn’t need to know that.
“Liar. You don’t usually bother to go.”
True. He simply shrugged.
“What is your problem? You can’t tell me you don’t think she’s beautiful. I’ve seen the way you look at her.”
He didn’t respond to that. Instead, he said, “Somehow I doubt she needs you to fix her up.”
“Probably not. But she doesn’t know anyone around here except us and I happen to know she’s broken up with her boyfriend and isn’t dating anyone. So, why don’t you ask her?”
“I’ll think about it.”
Damaris rolled her eyes. “Do more than think about it. I want to make sure she comes, and this is the best way to do that.”
Marshall turned to go but before he did, he asked, “Do you have a date for Boots & Bangles, Damaris?”
“Not yet.”
“Want me to set you up with someone?”
She gave him the evil eye. “Fat chance. The only guys you’ve ever set me up with were less exciting than watching paint peel.”
Damn straight. He watched out for Damaris whether she wanted him to or not. He figured it was his responsibility as her big brother.
He’d just finished checking all the horses when he looked out the back of the barn to see Jaclyn coming toward him carrying two bottles. “Hey,” she said when she reached him and handed him one of the bottles. “I thought you might want a beer.”
“Always,” he said, taking the bottle from her. “Thanks.”
She sat on the bench outside the barn doors. Though it was late February, it wasn’t terribly cold. Probably low fifties but with no wind, the temperature was comfortable. Jaclyn wore a light jacket but had left it unzipped. Since Marshall had been working inside the barn, he was in his shirt sleeves. He sat beside her and they clinked bottles together.
“I like how you can see the stars out here. I can’t see them from my balcony in Dallas.”
“You can’t see the sky?”
“Of course I can see the sky. But not the stars. Too much ambient light from the city.”
He got up and turned off the barn light, then sat back down beside her. “Better?”
“Beautiful. Thanks.”
They sat in companionable silence for a little while before Jaclyn spoke again. “Did you always want to raise horses?”
“Most of the time. But I had some doubts when I was younger.”
“How did you get over them?”
“I tried a lot of different jobs. After a while I figured out raising horses was the life for me.”
“Do you ever get tired of it? Want to do something different?”
“No. I spent a year traveling around the U.S. and picking up work wherever I went.” He drank some beer and shook his head. “But wherever I went I always had Texas in the back of my mind. It’s home. Always will be, I guess.” He took another sip of beer.
