Kissin' Tell (Rough Riders 13)

Even though it was just a little after one, they reloaded the equipment, deciding to call it a day.

Jessie’s SUV bumped up the path to the fence.

Brandt was down the hill before Jessie opened her door.

Dalton and Tell weren’t far behind.

The first thing Tell heard? Sweet Jessie snapping, “For Christsake, Brandt, will you move your ass and let me out of the damn car?”

Okay. Maybe she wasn’t so sweet today.

“What’s wrong?” Brandt demanded.

“Nothin’ is wrong. I saw you forgot your water bottle and I knew it’d be hot out here, so I brought it to you.” She hoofed it up the small incline and gestured to Tell and Dalton, panting, “Brought you guys some too.”

Seemed Jess’s belly had grown another six inches in the last week. She looked like she’d swallowed a beach ball.

Not that Tell would share that observation with her.

“Thanks, sweetheart,” Brandt said. “That’s mighty thoughtful, but aren’t you supposed to be—”

“Locked in the damn house going out of my freakin’ mind? I’m supposed to sit around with my feet up so I can watch my ankles swell up like toads?”

“Jess—”

“Don’t you tell me to calm down or use that patronizing tone with me, mister. You’ll be in the doghouse right along with Lexi. The little shit pissed me off today.”

“Your dog pissed you off?”

Jessie’s gaze pierced Dalton. “Yes. And if you spout off anything smart, Dalton McKay, you’re liable to piss me off too.”

Dalton’s hands went up in the air. “Forget I said anything.”

“Good idea.” When she turned to her husband—too fast—and started to lose her balance, Brandt was right there, keeping her steady. He was smart enough not to warn her to be careful. Or to open his mouth at all.

“The other reason I came out here was because some guy called the house phone and needs to talk to you right away about irrigation sprinkler heads. Something about a back order? He’s only going to be in the office another hour and then he goes on vacation for two weeks.”

“Goddammit. Those have already been on back order for six weeks. I ain’t waiting another month and a half for them. Let’s go. I’ll drive your car and Dalton can bring my truck to the house.”

“You go on,” Jessie said. “Now that I’m out of jail and see how nice it is, I’m taking a few minutes to breathe in some fresh air.”

Brandt looked torn, wanting to command her to get in the car, but also wanting to keep his head attached to his body. “Fine. But don’t wander off. Dalton just killed a rattler.” He set his hands on her belly, kissed her—twice—and whispered something that made her smile. Then he whacked her butt before he jogged to his truck.

Once Brandt was gone, Jessie put her hands on her hips and squared off with both of them. “I lied about needing fresh air.”

Awesome.

“I wanted to talk to you guys without your brother hovering.”

Tell and Dalton exchanged a look. “What’s up?”

“You tell me. Brandt is beyond tense. Like heart attack and stroke-level stressed out, and I’m scared. He won’t talk to me. So I wondered if maybe something was going on with Casper or your mom or Landon or the ranch, or if you two boneheads are sneaking around, trying to buy some land again, and my husband is hiding all of this secret family shit from me so I don’t get upset!”

Jessie’s voice had become louder until she shouted the last part.

Dalton popped the tailgate on the pickup. “You can yell and scream at us all you want, Jess, but you’re gonna do it while you’re sittin’ down. So park it.”

Surprisingly, Jessie didn’t quibble. “Sorry. It’s just…you have no idea how on edge Brandt is.”

“Yeah, we do. We were just talkin’ about it.”

“And did you come up with a solution to get him to calm the f**k down?”

Tell stepped in front of her, bracing himself for her wrath. “Know what I think? You need to calm the f**k down too.”

Jessie’s stubborn chin came up. “What the hell are you talking about? I am calm. I’m as calm as the f**king sea of tranquility! No one is more goddamn calm than me!”

A crow cawed in the silence.

Then Dalton started laughing. “Girl, that baby is gonna come out swearing a blue streak if you keep talkin’ like that.”

Tell started laughing too.

After a minute, she cracked a smile. “Pay no attention to the hormone-crazed pregnant lady cussing like a McKay.”

“Look, Jess, you and Brandt are feeding off each other’s anxiety. Brandt sees that you’re uptight, then he gets uptight and paranoid that something is wrong with you or the baby, something that you’re not telling him because you don’t want him to worry. Which makes you even more uptight and you don’t want to talk to him about it because you believe your worries will just add to his. See how this goes?”

She nodded and started to cry.

“Oh Jesus. Don’t cry. Brandt will kill us both if he thinks we made you cry.”

“These last two months I’ve cried enough that it doesn’t even faze him anymore.” She sniffed and set her hand on her belly. “Hey, little kicker, that was uncalled for.”

“Can I feel it?” Tell asked.

Jessie placed his hand off to the left side. “He’s too big to show off his soccer-player imitation, but he gives me plenty of knee and elbow action.”

He couldn’t believe how hard and tight the skin stretched over her belly was. Then he felt something move beneath his palm. “I know you’re tired of bein’ pregnant, but this is just so damn cool. Yours and Brandt’s baby is in there.”

She set her hand over the top of his. Tears filled her eyes. “Thank you. When I’m feeling bloated and I can’t stretch my maternity shirts over this massive bump and I can’t put on my boots and just want it to be over, I forget this is a miraculous thing. And I’ve wanted it for so long.”

“I suspect things will settle down once the little bugger makes his appearance,” Dalton said.

“I hope so. Thanks, guys. Now I know Brandt’s tension wasn’t just my pregnancy paranoia. I just wish there was something I could do for him short term that would relax him.”

“I know one thing that will relax him completely. Guaranteed. A b—”