brother anywhere. They mentioned you were flying in today. But you just missed them. They left for Ace in the Hole. Everyone in town is getting together there for a viewing party.”
Ace in the Hole? Was that some kind of golf tournament? He could see Walker on the course, but Hudson? No way. “A viewing party?”
Miss Marley looked at him as if he’d been living on Mars for a while. “To watch The Great Roundup, of course! I plucked the short straw, so I’m on duty with this lil cutie and the Myler siblings until their parents get off work, but three people promised to record the premiere for me.”
Ah, a TV show, Autry figured. He didn’t watch much TV. As president of Jones Holdings, an international company involved in real estate and manufacturing—and lately, a day care franchise—Autry was focused on negotiating deals and making money. Having time to watch TV was beyond him, despite the stretches he spent in airport lounges and on flights to everywhere from Dubai to Australia. Free time was about preparation—which was practically his family’s motto. Well, his father’s. Not that that had always been the case for Autry. Something he didn’t like to think about.
Now, though, Autry had found himself with an entire three weeks, twenty-one days, to himself. No necessary meetings. No deals to broker—not until late August, when he’d have to be in Paris for the Thorpe Corp. negotiations. He could be spending these much-needed vacation weeks on the beach in Bali or southern California. Appreciating the view, including sexy women in bikinis. But two of his brothers had shocked him—and the rest of the Jones family—by settling down with wives in the boondocks of Montana.
Rust Creek Falls. If he looked one way there was a building—barely. Another, Montana wilderness. Walker hadn’t been kidding when he referred to Rust Creek Falls as something of the “Wild West.”
Speaking of his oldest brother, Walker Jones the Third, who didn’t have a speck of small town in him, the company CEO had not only built a Jones Holdings, Inc. office here, but had built an actual log cabin for him and his new wife, Lindsay Dalton Jones, to live in. Autry wouldn’t have believed it, but he’d seen the cabin with his own eyes at their wedding, back in May. Granted, it was pure luxury, but still. Logs. A cabin. Montana wilderness. Autry expected that of his brother Hudson, who loved ranch life and the open spaces of Wyoming and Montana. Hudson operated the business of the day care for Walker, and had fallen for the manager, Bella Stockton, and now the happily married couple lived together at the Lazy B Ranch.
Two Jones brothers down. None to go. Well, three, but Autry, despite being thirty-three years old, wasn’t the marrying kind, and though he wasn’t close with any of his brothers, he couldn’t see Gideon and Jensen getting hitched. But if Walker and Hudson had, anything was possible.
He had these three weeks, zero relationships with his brothers and a chance to change that.
There was discord between his father, the domineering, controlling Walker Jones the Second, and his brother Walker the Third; their father had given up years ago on “wayward” Hudson following in the family footsteps. If Autry didn’t take this time to try to bond with his brothers a little, maybe smooth over things between them and their father, the family would disintegrate. Unfortunately, his dad didn’t seem to care, nor did his mother, so it was up to Autry. Why he cared so much, he wasn’t sure. But he did. He wanted to know his brothers. Especially now that they’d done something so...unexpected, like falling in love and getting hitched. Making lifetime commitments.
“Whose daddy are you?” the little red-haired girl asked suddenly, her big eyes on Autry, her crayon poised in the air.
Autry froze. No one’s. And that’s the way it’s going to stay. “No, sweetheart, I’m not anyone’s daddy. I’m just visiting.”
Miss Marley smiled at the girl. “This is Mr. Walker’s and Mr. Hudson’s brother, Mr. Autry.”
“Mr. Walker and Mr. Hudson are nice,” the girl said, then went back to coloring.
What? Walker was nice? Hudson has his moments, but Autry wouldn’t go so far as to characterize him as nice. What had Rust Creek Falls done to the Jones brothers?
And what had his family done to him if he thought the words nice and Jones could never be paired in the same sentence?
Autry looked around the colorful space with its square foam mats with letters of the alphabet, its beanbags and rows of cubbies in primary colors. Kid-size tables and chairs dotted the room. He could see doorways leading into classrooms, a nursery with cribs, and what looked like a break room. The area above the reception desk, with WELCOME spelled out in blocks, was full of photographs of babies and watercolors by “Sophia, age three” and “Marcus, age seven”
How his brothers spent so much time around kids, Autry had no idea. Autry liked kids just fine. As long as he wasn’t having them or raising them. In fact, Autry had a rule for himself when it came to dating: no women with baby fever. And under no circumstances would he date a single mother.
Lulu’s sweet face came to mind. A face he hadn’t let himself think about in months. Another big-cheeked baby, but with silky dark hair. Lulu, short for Louisa, had been a package deal with her single mother, beautiful Karinna. Autry had fallen in love with Karinna and soon felt like Lulu was his own flesh and blood. Suddenly the jet-setter had been changing diapers and wanting to stay in and listen to the woman he loved sing lullabies, instead of disappearing for weeks at a time on Jones Holdings business. But a few months later, when she left him for someone even richer, Autry lost not only his heart but the child he’d come to love.
So single mothers: never again.
“Ace in the Hole is on Sawmill Street,” Miss Marley said, interrupting his thoughts. “Just past the gas station. Can’t miss it. Oh, and order the ribs. Trust me. Best in town.”
Ah. Ace in the Hole was starting to sound like a bar and grill. The kind with a big screen TV. Ribs and a good craft beer sounded pretty good. Plus, he was looking forward to seeing his brothers and getting to know their wives. Autry had flown in for the weddings, but had had to leave the next day. Now, he had weeks to solve the mystery of his brothers’ complete turnarounds.
“Thanks for letting me know, Miss Marley,” Autry said. “I’ll be sure to order the ribs.”
“Go, Brenna and Travis!” Marley said, giving the baby a little pump in the air. “Imagine that, two of our own on a reality TV show. So exciting!”
Autry had no idea who Brenna and Travis were, but a reality TV show called The Great Roundup probably had something to do with cattle. Maybe horses?
“Da,” said the baby in Miss Marley’s grasp, reaching out his arms toward Autry.
An old ache gripped Autry, catching him off guard. He’d thought he was done with the sudden stabbing pain over what had happened.
Marley smiled. “That’s not your daddy, Dylan, but yes, he does look like your father with his blond hair and blue eyes.”
Autry forced a smile. “It was nice to meet you,” he said, extending his hand, then he headed out the door.
The one thing you could count on in this life was that there would be no babies or children in a bar.
Ace in the Hole, here I come. And not a minute too soon.
* * *
“Wow,” Marissa Fuller said as she and her nine-year-old daughter, Abby, walked into the Ace in the Hole. “Standing room only tonight.” Good thing she’d decided to leave her two younger daughters at home with their grandparents.
Abby’s face lit up. “This is so exciting, Mom! The first episode of The Great Roundup is finally going to be on TV! Did you ever think a reality TV show would film right here in Rust Creek Falls? I could totally pass out from the anticipation! All those cute cowboys competing in teams for a zillion dollars—in Western feats and wilderness survival...and two who we actually know! I can’t wait to find Janie and watch!”
How her daughter got that all out in one breath,