Jesse by C H Admirand Read Free Book Online Page A

say that,” Jesse warned. “She’s a mite protective of our big brother.”
    That had their brother relaxing his facial muscles, easing the tension in his jaw. “Works both ways.”
    Jesse picked up on the possibility that there had been trouble in town at the Lucky Star. “Did someone try to break into the club again?”
    Dylan shook his head. “Not that we’ve heard. That new dancer Jolene hired seems to be working out.”
    Jesse was ready, willing, and able to step into his brother’s shoes—make that spandex briefs—if the ladies over at the Lucky Star needed him, but so far they hadn’t needed him to. “Maybe I should call her.”
    Tyler grinned. “Jolene is a woman of her word; she’ll call if they need you, Bro. Besides,” he said, turning his horse toward home, “things are mighty busy around here. We need you. Jolene understands.”
    Bummed that he was the only Garahan who hadn’t been up on the stage and the recipient of all of that feminine adoration rankled, but he wouldn’t let his brothers know or they’d ride his case mercilessly. Hell, he would if the tables were turned—it’s what brothers do.
    â€œNo problem.” He waited a moment then followed after his brothers. They hadn’t asked about the woman he’d rescued on the way into town. He figured they knew he wanted to tell them about Danielle… the bastards. He grinned.
    The closer they got to home, the more he was convinced that they were messing with him—what else was new? He was the youngest, low man on the totem pole, the one who always had to ride shotgun so that he could get out and open and shut the gate.
    â€œHell.”
    By the time he’d made it back to the barn, he was only five minutes behind his brothers and the last to care for his horse.
    As he walked into the kitchen, Dylan was leaning with his back against the counter and boots crossed at the ankles. “She was a blonde, wasn’t she?”
    Jesse laughed. He couldn’t help it; he’d won their little game because Dylan asked before Jesse could offer any information about the damsel in distress. “And had a way of filling out her jeans that would make a man sit up and beg.”
    â€œThat good?” Tyler asked, pulling a casserole dish out of the refrigerator before turning toward Dylan. “What was it that Ronnie said was in this dish again?”
    â€œStuffed eggplant.”
    â€œMom never made anything with egg plants in it,” Jesse grumbled.
    â€œIt’s got nothing to do with eggs, brainless,” Tyler added. “I’ve only had it breaded and fried. What’s it stuffed with?”
    Dylan grinned. “Really gooey, tasty cheese. Try it,” he urged his brothers. “It tastes great.”
    â€œThat’s because Ronnie cooked it.”
    Dylan shrugged. “My wife’s a great cook.”
    The brothers agreed she’d saved them from starvation and Jesse’s rotgut chili.
    â€œYeah,” Jesse said, “but she can’t make chili.”
    Dylan grinned. “She’s been working on perfecting a recipe—just for you.”
    â€œReally? Cool.” Nobody’d done that since their mom had died. Their mom knew what each one of them considered his favorite meal, pie, cake, cookies, snacks, and flavor of soda. She was one in a million. Sometimes he missed her so much, his chest ached.
    He rubbed at the dull, hollow feeling creeping inside of him. Hard to believe it had been nearly twenty years since she’d been gone. He’d buried the hurt deep, so it wouldn’t catch him off guard as often as it had when he was a kid, but that didn’t mean he didn’t think about her or feel her loss.
    â€œHey,” Dylan said, poking him in the back, “you don’t need to eat it if you don’t want to. There’s plenty of leftovers or sandwich fixin’s in the