In reality, I’m spying on a certain lady doctor. Mostly trying to make sure she gets the Jeep started up okay, but also, pretty damn entertained watching her stomp around on them pointy shoes that don’t belong in a place like this while cursing at the hard-as-hell-to-open driver’s door.
It might seem mean how I left her standing there in a colorful getup with just a map, keys, and her jaw damn near touching her toes, but there’s always a method to my madness. Or should I say, in this case, a method to my meanness.
“Tex?” Jenny’s voice fills my ears again, and I pretend I’m being productive.
“Thought I saw some instability here.” After a few taps to the wood of the large wall in the entryway, I nod. “But don’t worry, everything appears good. Though, I still might call the contractor to come out and take a look just in case.”
When I turn around to face Jenny, she’s standing there, staring at me like I’ve got two heads, with a sassy hand to her hip. Even though she looks prettier than a Sunday morning sunrise in her favorite pair of Levi’s and old cowgirl boots, I can tell she is ready to ream my ass.
“And you expect me to believe that?”
Yep. She’s definitely ready to ream me a new one.
Doesn’t mean I’m not going to try like hell to avoid the subject of what I was actually doing or who I was actually snooping on through the window.
“What are you talking about, Jen?” I retort like I’m not full of crap. “You know this lodge here is a relic. It’s important I keep an eye on it for any issues. One small crack in the wall or a leak in the ceiling that’s left unfixed could end up costing us thousands.”
She purses her lips. “So, you weren’t just watching the pretty doctor you hired for Rhett struggling with that piece of junk you call a car?”
Shit. Caught red-handed.
“Exactly how long you been standin’ here, honey?”
“Long enough to watch you all but shove her out of the lodge on her pretty heels with some excuse of having work to get back to. When, I know for a fact, the rest of your day is pretty damn clear.”
I sigh. I swear, my Jenny, she doesn’t miss a fucking beat. Even though she told me this morning she’d be busy in the lodge kitchen cleaning and organizing all day, I guess she found some time to check up on me.
It’s like she’s got a pair of eyes in the back of her head and her hearing is better than a damn dog.
“Tex, I’d say it’s high time to fess up.”
Looks like the ole cat is out of the bag and the wife isn’t gonna tolerate anything but the truth…
“I take it you’ve figured out I’ve hired a doctor to come stay at the ranch and help Rhett get back on his feet.”
She guffaws and tosses a sarcastic hand in the air. “You hired her to help Rhett? Pretty sure you mean you hired her to keep his ass in line.”
“Which he needs.”
She quirks one eyebrow. “More like, you think he needs.”
“And you don’t think Rhett needs that?”
“Don’t put words in my mouth, old man,” she retorts and points one bossy index finger in my direction. “I know Rhett needs a little kick in the butt sometimes, but I also know he’s not a boy anymore. He’s a man, and a man should have the right to make his own decisions.”
“Yeah, well, if I don’t open your son’s eyes and make him see that his current path will lead this ranch down the shitter, then I’ll be out herding cattle until I’m a hundred. Is that what you want, honey? Me trying to herd cattle and run a ranch when I can hardly remember my own fuckin’ name?”
Jen sighs and steps closer to me. “You know that’s not what I want.”
“Then, tell me, what’s the alternative?” I question. “What would you have me do in this situation?”
“I’m not sure.” She shrugs and tosses the towel in her hand over her shoulder. “But I know a good start would be to stop being dishonest with your son.”
“You think I should’ve told him about hiring Dr. Levee?”
She nods. “I do.”
“And I’m guessin’, if you knew I let Frank Kaminsky tell Dr. Levee that Rhett is a fourteen-year-old boy, you’d probably also think I shouldn’t have let that happen either?”
“Texas Jameson,” she retorts with narrowed eyes. “That doctor thinks Rhett is a teenager?”
“Like I said, it wasn’t me!” I quickly respond with both hands held high. “It was Frank.” “Wasn’t you, my patootie!” she chastises. “You obviously went along with it. Not to mention, you and Frank just about share half a brain when it comes to this kind of stuff. I can’t for the life of me understand why it is that men are incapable of fully growing up.”