Page 8 of Sweet Temptation (Honeysuckle, Texas #3)

Keeping an eye on Jacqueline’s rental car in the rearview mirror, Garret pulled up the long drive to the ranch house.

Parking in front, he hopped out of his truck and hurried around, waiting for Jacqueline to stop and unlock the door.

Holding the driver side door open for her, Garret focused on her face, the reaction to the two-story home making him smile.

“So this is what a Texas ranch looks like?”

“Ours at least. Home sweet home.” He tried to see it through the eyes of a city person—the barn, the paddock where Blaze and the other horses grazed, the vast expanse of Texas dirt. “Not like Houston.”

“No.” Her gaze scanned from left to right. “It’s beautiful.” The wonder in her voice was genuine, and something in Garret’s chest loosened.

“I probably should have asked sooner. You’re not allergic to dogs, are you?”

Her gaze still taking in the massive home, she shook her head.

“Do you like them? Because we have two.”

Again she silently shook her head before dragging her gaze away from the house. “I love dogs. Not a smart thing to have in a big city, but I love them.”

He hoped she meant real dogs and not those little nippy things that women kept in their handbags. Before Garret could ask, the front door swung open and Mason bounded out, Brady at his heels.

“Uncle Garret!” Mason called, racing toward the truck. “Dad said you went to town and—” He skidded to a halt when he spotted Jackie. “Who’s she?”

“Is that any way to address a lady?”

The boy toed the dirt and shook his head. “Sorry, ma’am. Nice to meet you.”

She leaned over, smiling, and extended her hand. “My name is Jackie, what’s yours?”

Jackie? He needed to remember to call her by the nickname for Jacqueline.

His nephew brightened. “Mason.”

“And who is your friend?” Down on her heels, she turned her hand palm up under Brady’s muzzle, scratching behind his ears when the dog dipped his head into her palm. Apparently, Brady approved of Garret’s choice for a wife. Temporary wife.

“This is Brady.” Mason grinned proudly.

“He’s a sweet boy,” she said softly.

Mason giggled under his breath. The kid was smart. He caught the unintentional pun.

It took Jackie a moment, but in the middle of scratching the dog, her fingers stilled and she rolled her eyes heavenward, realizing she’d called the Sweet family dog, sweet.

“You three planning on having dinner in the front yard?” Carson called from the front doorway, his smile softening the harshness of his words.

Garret guided Jackie toward the house with a light touch to her elbow. She crossed into the house first, and as Garret passed his brother, Carson raised a questioning brow at him. Explanations would have to wait.

Inside, the house buzzed with activity. Delicious aromas wafted from the kitchen, and Garret could hear his sisters’ voices mixed with his mother’s laughter. Jackie hesitated at the threshold, and he gave her what he hoped was a reassuring nod.

“Heads up. We’ve got company,” Carson announced as they entered the living room. “Everyone pretend you weren’t raised in a barn.”

“Carson,” his mother’s voice carried crisply from the kitchen.

Chuckling, Carson walked over to his mother and kissed her temple “Sorry, I’ve always wanted to say that.”

Their mom rolled her eyes and shook her head, staring up at the ceiling, a smile on her face. “Where did we go wrong, Charlie? Where?”

Everyone cracked up. They’d finally reached a point in time where the mere mention of their father didn’t weigh on them like a lead blanket.

His mother emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. Sarah and Jess, his brothers’ wives, paused their conversation. Rachel and Jillian appeared from the hallway, their expressions shifting from surprise to barely concealed delight when they spotted Jackie.

“Well, hello there,” his mother said, crossing the room with outstretched hands. “I’m Alice Sweet.”

“Mom,” Garret injected, “this is a friend of mine from Houston. Jackie Drake.”

“Thank you for having me, Mrs. Sweet. I hope it’s not an imposition.”

“Company is always a treasure and never an imposition.” His mother beamed at her, then shot Garret a look that clearly said you should have called ahead . “You’ll stay for dinner, of course.”

“Actually.” Garret cleared his throat. “I was hoping Jackie could stay the night. It’s a long drive to Midland for her flight home and…”

“That road at night is no place for a woman alone. Of course she can stay.” His mom finished his thought for him before turning to Jackie. “I’m afraid I confiscated the guest room for a hobby room. You don’t mind sharing with a sewing machine, do you?”

The lighthearted comment brought a genuine smile to Jackie’s lips. Her whole face lit up. “I’m quite fond of sewing machines, as long as they don’t snore.”

His mom cackled with delight. “Atta girl”

Rachel and Jillian exchanged a look that made Garret want to groan. His sisters had the subtlety of a pair of bulldozers.

Rachel stepped forward, linking her arm through Jackie’s. “Come on, I’ll give you the grand tour.”

“And I’ll help,” Jillian added, flanking Jackie’s other side.

Garret had an irresistible urge to shout ‘stop’ and pull Jackie back before his sisters mucked everything up. Then again, how much worse could it be? He was trying to strike a bargain with a near stranger for the most intimate job on the planet—that is, if it were for real.

“She seems nice,” Carson said quietly, clapping Garret on the shoulder. Then, lowering his voice, “The internet?”

He shook his head.

Carson stared down the hall his sisters had gone with the new woman in his life. “Interesting timing, an old friend showing up now.”

“She’s not that old a friend. We met recently in Millers Creek.”

“I see.” Carson studied his brother.

“She knows about our dilemma. She’s, uh, thinking about it.”

“Is that a good thing?” Carson was still studying his younger brother.

He shrugged. “I don’t know, but I think so.”

The entire Sweet family radiated warmth, from Alice’s immediate welcome to Mason’s boyish curiosity.

Even Brady, the dog, had given her his approval, and Jackie couldn’t help but feel that was somehow significant.

Then why, as Rachel and Jillian led her up the stairs, was her stomach doing back flips.

“So you’re from Houston?” Rachel asked, guiding her down a hallway lined with family photos.

“Born in Tyler, but I’ve been in Houston for the last several years.” Jackie paused to look at a portrait of what must have been the whole family, including a man with Garret’s eyes who had to be their father. She guessed the Charlie his mother jokingly spoke to about their son.

“What brings you to our little corner of nowhere?” Jillian asked.

She shrugged. “Thought it was time for a change, but Millers Creek didn’t turn out to be the gem I’d hoped for.”

The sisters exchanged a sideways glance that had her wondering just how much they knew about how she and Garret met.

“Houston can be a bit much.” Jillian waved a hand in the air. “All that traffic and concrete.”

“Here we are.” Rachel pushed open a door to reveal a cozy room with pale blue walls.

A sewing machine sat in one corner near the window, alongside neatly stacked fabric.

The double bed looked freshly made, with a patchwork quilt in blues and creams. She wondered if it was homemade.

From what she’d seen of the town, it wouldn’t surprise her if the whole thing had been hand stitched.

“Mom’s been quilting since Dad died,” Rachel explained, catching Jackie’s glance at the bedspread. “Says it helps her think.”

“It’s beautiful.” Jackie ran her hand over the intricate stitching.

“Bathroom’s across the hall.” Jillian opened the closet. “Plenty of room.” Garret’s sister’s eyes suddenly held a sparkle they hadn’t had a few minutes ago. “You know, in case you decide to stay longer.”

Rachel cleared her throat and stared daggers at her sister. “We’re just down the hall if you need anything.”

Jackie nodded, setting her purse on the bed. She’d have to get her bag out of her car later.

“So,” Rachel came by her and sat on the edge of the bed, “how long have you known our brother?”

“Not long,” Jackie admitted. “We met in Millers Creek.”

Rachel’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “At the Bronco Lounge?”

“Uh…” Heat rushed to Jackie’s face. Did it count as having met if she didn’t remember? “Sort of.”

“Sort of?” Now Jillian looked confused.

A knock at the door interrupted them. Garret stood in the doorway, his expression wary as he took in the three of them. “Everything okay in here?”

“Just girl talk,” Jillian answered innocently.

“Dinner’s ready.” His gaze settled with hers and she wondered would he have told his sisters about her?

About his night in a hotel waiting for her to sober up?

As all the thoughts ran through her mind, she noticed him very slightly shake his head at her.

Had he understood her worries? When his lips curled up in a sweet smile, she realized he’d done just that.

He was still taking care of her, even though she’d more than sobered up.

“We’d better get going or Mom will send Brady after us.” Rachel sprang up from the bed, following her sister out the door.

Garret remained in the doorway, waiting for her. “They’re right. Mom’s a stickler about being on time for dinner.”

Downstairs, the dining room table was full except for two chairs, one for her and one for Garret.

There was no awkwardness, no lags in conversations; the siblings teased each other and laughed with each other, and their mother, and once or twice, included her on the joke.

It was as if she’d always been a part of the family.

With every passing minute, she felt more and more at ease in this big old house that had sheltered generations of his family.

Jackie felt a pang of longing for what Garret and his family represented—roots, connection, belonging.

Not that she didn’t love her grandmother, but it had just been the three of them for so many years, and once she moved to Houston, except for Grams, Tyler didn’t really feel like home. Not like this.

In the kitchen after dinner, she had to insist, but was allowed to help clear the table and now the kitchen.

“I know most people like to use the dishwasher, and with this bunch I’d be nuts not to, but I prefer to wash my grandmother’s platters by hand.” Alice Sweet handed her a wet platter to dry. “He’s a good man.”

It took her a moment to make the connection between the platters and the good man, mostly when she realized one had nothing to do with the other, and she was pretty sure the good man was Garret. “He’s definitely a gentleman.”

Alice didn’t look at her, but she continued to scrub one platter in particular, finally speaking without looking up.

“If you think you’d like to visit a bit longer, you’re welcome to stay as long as you like.

” Then her head turned to face Jackie. “I mean that. My children’s friends are always welcome. ”

“Thank you.” She nodded. “Honeysuckle seems to be more than I expected. I’ll think about it.”

Alice smiled. “You do that.”

Garret came into the kitchen from outside. “Samson is all set for the night.”

“With Brady’s help, that dog has come a long way.” Alice tugged the towel from Jackie’s hands and faced her son. “Why don’t you show our guest around outside? There aren’t any evening skies like this in Houston.”

Jackie hesitated a moment, but Alice nudged her out of the way.

When the back door closed behind them, Garret smiled at her. “One thing folks learn fast around here, is there’s no point in arguing with my mother.”

“I’ll remember that.” She tore her gaze away from Garret.

The man was many things and handsome was at the top of the list. Those blue eyes could win over a dozen women in a heartbeat.

So, where did all this leave her? And how would her life turn out if she agreed to this crazy scheme to save this amazing ranch and—no pun intended—sweet family?

She supposed there would be only one way to find out.

Spinning about, she met Garret’s gaze. “I’ll do it. ”