Page 50 of Texas Made
“Yes.”
“You’re still mad,” he said, stating the obvious.
“I’m not mad.”
“You give a mighty good impression of it.”
“I’m frustrated.”
So am I.He reached for her and pulled her into his arms. “I’ll do my best to come to Dallas for the party.” Then he kissed her. At first she didn’t respond but then he felt her soften and she kissed him back.
Ending the kiss, she looked up at him. “You’re not going to be able to come, are you?”
“Probably not,” he was forced to say.
“I can’t do this anymore, Marshall.” She pulled out of his arms and crossed her arms over her chest.
“What does that mean? You can’t do what?”
“I can’t continue to pretend everything is going to be all right when I know it won’t be.”
“Do you honestly want to break up?” He didn’t believe she did. Her eyes were bright with what he’d bet were unshed tears.
“I think it’s the best thing for us.”
“All because I can’t go to this party with you? It’s one time. It’s a rid—” He started to sayridiculousbut caught himself. “There’s no reason to break up over this situation.” Why the hell was she being so unreasonable?
“It’s not the party. That’s just a symptom. Be honest, Marshall. I can’t depend on you to be there when I need you. You’re tied here, to Whiskey River, to the ranch. In so many ways. Not the least of which is an obligation to your family and the business.”
He couldn’t deny that, wasn’t sure he even wanted to. “It’s been rougher than usual for me since the fire. That isn’t something that happens all the time.”
“No, but something always comes up. I did this before, Marshall. It didn’t work then and it’s not going to work now.”
“It’s sure as hell not going to work if we give up trying.”
“I’m sorry, Marshall. But I’d rather call it quits now while we still care about each other than have everything disintegrate and wind up hating each other.”
“So that’s it? We’re done?”
She didn’t answer. But the look on her face said it all.
Chapter Twenty
“Marshall, what thehell is the matter with you?” Chase asked late one evening.
“Nothing.” He opened the refrigerator and snagged a beer. Popped the top and chugged about half of it, then wiped his mouth on his sleeve. “Not a damn thing.”
Chase grabbed his own beer opened it and drank while considering Marshall. “Trouble in paradise?”
Marshall walked into the den and sat on the couch. “Trouble, yes. Paradise? Hardly.”
“It’s been three days since Jaclyn left and during that time I think you’ve said ten words, total. Which is tight-lipped, even for you.”
“Screw you,” Marshall said and drank more beer. He contemplated finishing it and having another—twelve or so, but he couldn’t do that in case something happened with the horses. Damaris was out on a date and Chase had worked the weekend before.
Unsurprisingly, his brother didn’t take the hint. “It’s Jaclyn, isn’t it? Did you two have a fight?” Chase sat in the easy chair beside the couch and drank some more of his own beer.
“Not really.”
