The Gentle Cowboy Ch. 04

Sorry about the wait, but the fourth chapter is finally to my liking. Let me know what you think! Enjoy.

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"Yea, Mom. I'm really going to marry Jake McKean. Kinda crazy, huh?"

Grabbing her daughter's hand, Donna half led, half dragged her to the kitchen table. "Now dish, Daisy. Tell me how it happened, where and everything. What did he say? How did he ask?" she demanded in a rush.

"Uhhh…" Unsure that the truth was the best answer in this situation, Daisy began slowly, "Well… In the traditional way, Mom. Jake asked me, and I accepted." Vagueness would be her friend.

Making a disgusted sound, Donna turned the full power of her all-seeing-eyes on her daughter, "Uh huh, well how did it happen, Daisy? Did he get down on one knee? Give you flowers?" On a dreamy sigh Donna theatrically brought her hands to her chest, "Profess his undying love and devotion?"

A stifled snort of laughter could be heard behind the women and Daisy smiled as her mother playfully scowled at her husband, who had a hand over his face.

With a twinkle in her eye, Mrs. Jones frowned at her husband of thirty-three years, "Oh, is there something you wanted to add, Donald?"

Pulling himself together, Mr. Jones turned and looked at his wife with mock seriousness, "Nothing, Donna dear, just had some coffee go down the wrong pipe."

Snorting in disbelief, Donna turned her back on her husband and resumed her interrogation. "So, Daisy, I'm waiting."

"Well…" Daisy began, anxious and trying to think up something that would appease her mother quickly.

Only to be fortunately interrupted by her usually interruptive older brother, Matt, "Mom, I'm starvin'." Grinning, Matt came in stretching his arms above his head, seemingly almost reaching the ceiling while one hand came down to scratch his impressive chest lazily and lay on his flat stomach. "Whatcha cookin', good lookin'," he inquired with a playful wink.

Sighing in exasperation, Donna tried to not be distracted by her son and despite the flash of amusement at his question, she sternly answered, "Nothing for boys who come in demanding things in the middle of an important conversation." Turning to look at him, she gave him a disapproving glare only to start chuckling at his innocent expression.

Daisy smiled as she watched her brother smoothly charm their mother with the ease from years of practice. Within two minutes, Matt had a bag of potato chips open, persuaded his mother to make steak instead of chicken and had convinced her to bake a couple dozen batches of chocolate chip cookies. Sitting at the table, across from his sister, Matt raised a chip to a mouth curved with satisfaction.

While struggling to reach the bag of flour in the top, left cupboard, Mrs. Jones spoke with her back to the kitchen occupants. "Now, Matty, before you so rudely interrupted…"

Standing up unhurriedly, Matt effortlessly plucked the bag from its perch, two feet above Mrs. Jones' head, saving her five minutes of work. Smiling at her oldest, interruptions forgiven for his help, she continued excitedly, "Your sister was just about to tell us the details of her engagement."

Eyes bulging, Matt started to choke on the chips he had just stuffed into his mouth. Donald came over and gave his son a few thumps on his back. Once the threat of suffocation was out of the picture, Matt turned a grateful gaze to his fathers' humor-filled one.

Groaning in frustration, Donna went over to make sure her first-born would live to see another day, and then she'd get the details of the damn engagement!

Matt dramatically waved his mother off, gasping that he would be "okay in a bit," and was "fine as long as he got some rest."

Clucking and fussing over him like any mother would when her child has a near-death experience; Daisy just rolled her eyes at the scene and smirked.

Finally when all was clear of danger, Daisy held up the bag of chips and asked innocently with a bat or two of an eyelash, "Want another, big brother?"

"No, thank-you, Daisy," he gritted out with a good-natured, squinty glare, "I'd much rather hear about your engagement."

Wincing at "E" word, Daisy started to babble something incoherent when there was a knock at the door.

Heaving a sigh of utter and complete despair, Donna threw her hands up, along with a handful of flour, as her laughing husband went to answer the back door with a bounce in his step.

Smiling genuinely at the man darkening his doorstep, Donald threw an arm around the young man's shoulder and welcomed him in, "Come on in, Derrick. We're all settled in the kitchen."

Before Derrick could step into the room, Matt was up and slapping him on the back, "Way to go, Derr. I can't believe you roped her in so quickly." A manly thump later he warned, "You take good care of her now, too. She is my baby sister after all. You'll have me and her other two brothers to contend with if we hear she's unhappy."

Puzzled, Derrick looked at Matt as though he was one cookie shy of a dozen. "What are you talking about, Matt? Who did I "rope" in?"

Stepping back, Matt wore a mirror expression of confusion, "You mean, you didn't propose to my sister?"

Everyone turned towards Daisy, "Umm, me and Jake are engaged."

Shocked and hurt swirled together in Derrick's eyes. "Oh yea, Dais? When was this?"

In an apologetic manner, Daisy relayed some details: it had happened a little earlier in the day, when she went to visit Jake. That it was unexpected and she hadn't meant for him to find out like this.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he leaned a hip against the counter. Derrick looked devastated and Daisy hated that she was causing him any amount of pain.

Shifting from foot to foot, Daisy and the family were all silent, allowing Derrick to process the information.

"We're just going to go into the living room, dears. Just help yourselves to what ever you need," Mrs. Jones shooed the men out and turned to give her daughter a reassuring wink.

Sighing, Derrick stared at the floor, then finally at Daisy and gave a small smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"It's okay, Daisy. Don't look so upset, darlin'. We're friends, right?" At her nod, he continued, "And friends are happy for each other when something good happens for one another."

"Yes, we'll always be friends, Derrick. Great friends." She held out a hand to him but he just looked at it.

Pushing away from the counter, Derrick swept Daisy up in a bear hug, and buried his face in her hair. "He's lucky he caught you, Daisy. Really lucky."

Daisy gave him a gentle squeeze and he set her down, arms still around her. She smiled up at Derrick and gave him a pat on the cheek.

Movement by the back door caught her eye. Daisy turned her head slowly, worried about who she would find there but knew what she would see.

Propped up against the door lounged an unreadable Jake, long, jean-clad legs crossed at scuffed cowboy boots and all. He raised his brows mockingly, "Knock, Knock."

Moaning internally, Daisy wanted to sink through the floor. She knew that Jake would misinterpret what he had walked upon. Time for damage control.

"Jake, I was just telling Derrick about the engagement." Disentangling herself from Derrick's embrace, Daisy walked over to the unpredictable cowboy, holding out her hand like one would to a wild wolf.

Jake took Daisy's hand without hesitation and tucked her under his arm, pressing her into his side from hip to shoulder, hiding her from Derrick's defeated yet hungry gaze.

"I forgot to give you this at the house, Dais. Can't have my bride walking around without this," Reaching into his pocket, Jake pulled out a small silver band with an old-fashioned set diamond surround by purple stones that Daisy had probably never heard of, and slid it onto her finger.

A perfect fit, she mused. Then she really took a look at it.

"Oh my god, Jake! You can't give me this; it must have cost a fortune. That diamond is bigger than, oh I don't know, but someone will probably kill me for it though," she joked. Moving to pull the ring off, Jake's hand covered hers and stopped her.

"Don't you dare take that ring off, Daisy Maze. It was the only one that suited you. Besides, the purple-whatevers match your eyes." He brushed back a strand of hair and she felt the cool band of his matching silver ring.

Taking his hand in hers, she pulled it down and looked at his plain, simple silver band. "I figured it was only fair that I wear your brand, too." He whispered teasingly.

Daisy started laughing wildly. Gasping for breath, she sagged against him, leaning into him for support. Panting, she looked up into his startled, uncomprehending face, "You actually, kind of, said a joke, Jake." Breath, "It's just you're always so serious."

Jake was unreadable again, his expression stony. Straightening up, Daisy put a little space between them. Touching his shoulder, she whispered, "That's a good thing, Jake. I just didn't know you could be funny. You're always so serious." Biting her lip, Daisy came to a realization, "I guess we don't really know each other too well, huh?" Looking away, Daisy became pensive, a stark contrast to how animated she had been. "Not anymore," she finished softly.

Not liking her serious countenance, Jake felt a flash of panic. What if she's thinking of leaving me? What if she wants to call off the engagement? A sharpness entered into Jake's eyes, making his face scary in its determination. Let her try.

"Daisy…" Jake reached for her, intending to bring her into his arms and distract her in other, more pleasant ways.

"Why are you marrying him then, Dais? I don't see a reason why you would marry someone you don't even know, darlin'." An equally intimidating hardness fell over Derrick's features, transforming him in a way Daisy had never seen before.

"Derrick, it's just that…" she trailed off, unsure how to continue without saying that Jake had pressured her, yet, she still strangely wanted this farce of an "engagement" to continue. To become something more; something real.

"Just that what, Daisy? Just that he has money? Can buy you anything you could ever ask for? Doesn't have to worry about doing manual labor." he lashed out cruelly.

Stunned by Derrick's sudden attack, Daisy took a deep, quick breath to keep the tears at bay.

Turning her head, she buried her face into Jake's chest, hiding from Derrick and his harsh, bitter words.

Jake's arms wrapped around her immediately; protecting her from Derrick's callousness. Deadly, in a low voice, Jake warned, "Don't you ever talk to my woman like that again, Gowan. I won't tell you again. The only reason I'm not beating you to within an inch of your life right now, is because Daisy thinks of you as a good friend. That card only helps you once."

Almost immediately Derrick had regretted the words. Seeing the grief he caused Daisy made him feel even worse. With a rueful smile, he tried to apologize, "Yea, I don't know what got into me, Daisy. It was out of line and you know I think only the best of you. Want only the best for you." With a wistful look, he finished, "I guess I just wish I had been the best for you."

Not wanting to stay and receive pity from the woman he loved, Derrick turned on his heel and walked out into the hall. The two left in the kitchen could hear his rushed goodbye to the family eavesdropping from the living room.

"I had better go check on her, Donald," the pair heard Mrs. Jones say, followed by footsteps in the hall.

Daisy spun out of Jake's arms and practically sprinted for the door, not wishing to explain anything to her mother at that moment.

Once outside, Daisy kept going, walking quickly to the barn. Unexpectedly, a hand wrapped around her wrist and brought her to a stop, the wind whipping her long hair around them.

"Talk to me. Let me inside that head of yours, Daisy Maze." And into that heart, he thought desperately.

Daisy was all jumbled; her mind cluttered with a million thoughts and she couldn't hold onto even one for long. Irritated with herself, and doubting herself when she had thought she'd figured everything out, she just wanted to get away. To be alone. To think. To make the right decision.

Pulling her arm from his, she tried to step away from him and the mind-muddling power he seemed to have over her. "I don't know Jake. I don't know what we're doing." She had never looked so lost or confused, he thought. "And I don't think its right."

Jake saw red. Daisy, his Daisy, possibly wanted to call off their engagement. Wanted to leave him.

She doesn't want me. Jake felt fear and a part of his heart froze. Looking down, into her eyes, he knew he couldn't give her up. The only woman that could belong to him.

A little voice, the voice of a demon from within, whispered softly, tauntingly, Of course she doesn't want you. Who could love a wretched thing like you? You're twisted, Jake. You belong in the shadows. The night…

Shaking his head, Jake refused to listen to what he knew was truth. But looking at Daisy reminded him that this was his chance for a normal life. A chance for love and a family. A chance to live in the light. No one would take that from him.

His face became dark, his lips curled into a merciless twist. He knew what he had to do.

Seeing his expression, trepidation ran through her. Daisy tried to take another step back but in a lighting-fast motion, Jake had her wrist in a vise-like grip and was leading her to the barn at a brisk pace.

Jake was eerily silent, eyes facing forward, towards his destination.

I'll show her. She can't just throw me away. She has to know she's mine. She's my light.

Nearly running to keep up with Jake's long-legged stride, Daisy looked up towards the sky for something.

God, help me. Then they entered the barn where they were enveloped by darkness.

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Thanks for reading. Sorry it took so long; life shouldn't be so busy and pesky. Haha. More for Cowboy and Jungle should be coming soon! :o)