Victoria Chancellor - Coming Home to Texas

If she didn’t value her independence so much, she’d hire a personal assistant to travel with her. But she didn’t want someone with her all the time. How would she get used to a husband if they actually lived together?

She couldn’t. She’d just have to explain that to Travis after they went through with the ceremony he wanted. Something for him. Something for her. Isn’t that what compromise was all about?

TRAVIS TRIED TO SEE his adopted hometown through Jodie’s much more sophisticated eyes, but he had a hard time reading her expressions as he parked his SUV in front of Schuler’s Jewelry Store. If looking around and meeting folks went well, he hoped they could shop for wedding bands before going to Bretford House to finalize the wedding plans.

The town square appeared rather bleak on this February day, with only a few evergreen shrubs to break the faded browns of this past winter. Soon spring bulbs would appear, but today he suspected Jodie wouldn’t see the charm of the gazebo or walkways used by so many in Ranger Springs.

“The town square is real nice in the spring and summer,” Travis commented as they stepped onto the sidewalk.

Jodie nodded, but was obviously busy looking around. “The businesses seem to be doing well,” she finally said.

“We’re having a small boom. More and more people are moving out of the cities and into the countryside.”

“It’s…charming.”

Not exactly wild praise, but he’d settle for her favorable impression. “The café is on the other side of the square, near the gazebo. I thought we’d go there first and meet some of the regulars.”

He and Jodie walked side by side. He felt as though he should hold her hand, or take her arm, or make some other gesture, but he couldn’t read her mood. She wasn’t exactly as chilly as the wind whipping along the raised concrete sidewalk, but she didn’t seem all warm and snuggly, either.

Despite her somewhat subdued mood, he enjoyed walking with a woman he didn’t have to lean down to talk to, or saunter beside slowly because their strides were so different. The kind of women he usually dated wore heels almost everywhere, and they giggled when he commented on how “little” they were. Jodie didn’t giggle, although in the days they’d spent together, she’d laughed and chuckled regularly. She had a throaty, genuine laugh that came from deep inside. He hadn’t realized how irritating a high-pitched, childish voice could be on a grown woman until he’d met Jodie.

The door to the Four Square Café tinkled in welcome as he stepped inside. Normally he took a table near the front window, but he didn’t want to appear antisocial by ignoring the folks who were lingering over their coffee. None of the waitresses were up front, so he grabbed a couple of menus before guiding Jodie past the old-fashioned chrome and Formica-topped tables to the rear booths.

“Mornin’, Ambrose. You’re looking pretty today, Joyce,” he greeted the semiretired doctor and his new wife. “Dr. and Mrs. Wheatley, I’d like you to meet Jodie Marsh. She’s going to be in town for a few days until she needs to go back to Los Angeles.”

“Why, hello there, dear. You’re the famous model, aren’t you?” Joyce asked. “Thelma told me she’d met you yesterday. You just missed her, by the way.”

Jodie chuckled. “I don’t know how famous I am, Mrs. Wheatley, but I do model. I’m not sure I remember who Thelma is, though.”

“Thelma Rogers. She’s the owner, editor and lead reporter for the Springs Gazette, our local newspaper.”

“Oh, really?”

Travis sensed Jodie’s concern over hearing that the newspaper editor already knew she was in town. “The Gazette is a weekly paper, and besides, Thelma doesn’t run any tabloid-style stories.”

“Oh, I’m sure she doesn’t. I was just hoping to have a nice, quiet stay here for a few days.”

“I’ll bet you go to lots of exciting places for your work,” Joyce said.

“I stay fairly busy, but I don’t work all the time. There’s a growing market for plus-size clothes for business, casual and exercise wear. And I have some other…things I’m working on right now, too.”

Travis wondered if she meant her cosmetics contract or their baby.

“You’re not one of those skinny little beanpoles, either,” Dr. Wheatley added. “They look downright anemic to me.” He shuddered. “I like a woman with a good figure, like my sweetie here,” he added, patting Joyce’s hand.

The strawberry-blond hairdresser smiled and practically blushed. Newlyweds, Travis thought with a mental shake of his head. Ambrose and Joyce were just two more of the happily married couples populating Ranger Springs. Two more of the people making goo-goo eyes at each other and acting as silly as teenagers. Getting married without all that silliness made a lot more sense to him.

Jodie smiled at the older couple. “No one’s ever confused me for a beanpole. I tried dieting when I was a teenager, but I soon discovered that I couldn’t keep my weight down to a size six. It’s much more fun to eat enough to keep my weight up to a size sixteen.”

“Just as long as you exercise and eat right,” the doctor added.

“Believe me, I do.”

“Well, it’s so nice to meet you, Jodie. I hope you have a nice visit in our town. It’s a good place to…well, settle down if you wanted to live somewhere normal.”

The Ranger Springs matchmakers were still alive and well, Travis thought with fondness. Joyce and her sidekick, Thelma Rogers, had participated in several matchmaking projects over the past few years with great success. If one measured success by marriages, that is.

Jodie laughed. “I’ll remember that.”

Travis took her elbow. “I’d like to introduce you to Charlene Jacks, Kerry’s mother. She still works here at the café, although most of us assumed she’d retire now that two of her daughters are married to very successful men. Carole’s husband is CEO of a large food company.”

“I’d love to meet her. Although I knew Alexi first, I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Kerry, also. And their son Alexander is adorable.”

The little boy was cute. Which reminded Travis that this time next year, he’d have a little boy or girl who would be equally adorable. Their baby would no doubt have blond hair, since he knew for a fact that Jodie was a natural blonde. And when the child grew up, he or she would be tall. If they had a son, he’d probably be muscular and athletic. A daughter would no doubt be long-limbed and curvy.

He’d have to lock her up until she was thirty, just in case she had any interest in boys.

“Travis?”

He shook himself out of his daydreaming and smiled at Jodie. “Sorry. I was just about to take you back to meet Charlene.”

They walked to the rear of the restaurant, toward the booths near the pickup window. The smell of bacon still hung in the air, but soon the fryer would be producing chicken-fried steak and French fries, and the grill would be full of burgers.

“Mornin’, Charlene,” he said to the woman rolling flatware inside white paper napkins.

“Travis! Good to see you.”

He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “That’s from Alexi.” Travis had talked to him just two days ago to discuss plans for the cultural center he was designing.

“I’ve been blessed with two wonderful sons-in-law.” She chuckled, a gleam in her blue eyes. “Now all I need is one more for Cheryl and all my girls will be happily married.”

“Don’t look at me!” Travis replied, feigning horror.

Charlene laughed, then smiled at Jodie. “And who is this lovely lady?”

“Charlene Jacks, allow me to introduce Jodie Marsh. I’m sure you’ve already heard she’s in town.”