Texas Homecoming by MAGGIE SHAYNE Page A

from sight.
    "I need to go into town for a few things. Do you want to ride along?"
    She sensed the man was trying to make conversation, trying to be polite. But she also knew he wasn't doing it because he wanted to. His cousin must have told him to be nice to her. After he'd come back from his chat with the big guy, he'd told her she could stay here with him "until things were settled." Which, she assumed, meant until he could boot her out with the law firmly behind him.
    At least he hadn't tried to get her into bed yet. Which was somehow both reassuring and insulting at the same time. Maybe he didn't like women.
    Or maybe he just didn't like
her.
    "I want to, Mom!" Baxter said. "Can't we, please?"
    She frowned, not wanting her son out in public— but then again, she reasoned, no one had shown up at the door with a gun yet. And if Leo or Petronella or any of their goons had been able to figure out where she'd gone, they would have. She had no doubt of that. So that probably meant she and Baxter were safe here. For the moment, at least.
    "Please, Mom?"
    She shrugged. "I do need to pick up a few things. All right, I guess so."
    She glanced down at her attire. She'd put on a pair of the jeans Chelsea Brand had brought over and a white cotton button-down shirt. Her hair was still in a ponytail, her feet in her open-toed spiky-heeled boots and her face downright naked of makeup. "I'd better see what I can do about the way I look first."
    "You're right," Luke said.
    She looked up fast, ready to shoot back. "What?"
    "You need some decent walking shoes, or sneakers, or something," he said. "Course, I can't help with that, being that everything I have is a hefty size eleven. But I
do
have a good rugged set of fingernail clippers if you want to use them."
    She swung her gaze to his, her jaw gaping. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Holding up a hand, palm out, she studied her nails. They were gorgeous. Long and curving and airbrushed. "What's wrong with my nails?"
    "Well, nothing—if you're a cougar. What are you plannin' to do with those things, shred cabbage?" He sent Baxter a grin and a wink, and Baxter laughed out loud, holding his belly.
    "I suppose you could carve your initials in the elm tree out back, if you wanted," Luke went on.
    "Or maybe in your forehead," she countered.
    But it was tough to hold on to her anger when her son was laughing so hard. His little cheeks were turning red now, and his glasses had slid down his nose. "Oh, so you think it's funny, do you?" she said to her son. "I thought you liked my nails?"
    He grinned so hard his dimples had dimples. "I think they're pretty, Mom." Giggle, chortle, chuckle. "Really."
    "Yeah, sure you do." She scowled at him. "So am I allowed to go put on some makeup, or is that going to start another laugh riot down here?"
    "You're pretty enough without it, Mom," Baxter said. "Isn't she, Luke?"
    Luke looked like the kid had just kicked him in the belly. He stuttered, he stammered, he got red faced. "Well...I..er...um...just...uh..."
    "I'll be down in ten minutes," she said, not even waiting for his verdict on her prettiness, or lack thereof. "You guys wait, or else."
    "Okay," Baxter called, smiling all over. "But don't put on too much, okay, Mom?"
    Luke was still stammering.
    She met her time limit with two minutes to spare, heading back downstairs with her hair now loose and thoroughly brushed, and wearing minimal makeup—just enough to make her feel human.
    "Okay, I'm ready," she said.
    Luke was fidgeting near the doorway. He'd been looking outside at something and only turned to face her when she spoke. Then he offered a crooked smile. "You really do look just fine without all the goop on your face," he said.
    Jasmine frowned. "Was that supposed to be an apology or a compliment?"
    He shrugged, turning his attention back outside. She followed his gaze to see Baxter running through the tall summer grasses and wildflowers outside. "I figured it would be okay as long as I