"Take Me Out..Period"

Chapter 1


Bethanie Halloway smiled as she climbed out of her big Chevy truck and nearly skipped her way to the seats her friends had already set out. Another rodeo, another chance to see the one man wonder who'd so captured her attention last time. T.C. James. She saw him in her dreams every night since then, and she was sure this would cure her. Holding back a squeal, she watched as he walked over toward her friends, would she get to meet him this time?

"Hello ladies." his voice echoed from where he stood, deep and full of a thick down south accent. Dark eyes honed in on her friends, hair covered by a pure white cowboy hat. He was all that was good and right in the world rolled into one, or so it seemed to her. Skin the color of milk chocolate, broken only by the bright white of his teeth.

She slowed her pace, and wiped her mouth to be sure she wasn't drooling on herself. Then, she took a few more steps toward her friends.

"Beth! Hey Beth, c'mon over here!" yelled Dana, silencing T.C. for a moment with a finger.

"Hey." she called, trying to be as non-chalant as she could.

"Beth, this is T.C. James, T.C. my good friend, Bethanie Halloway." Dana introduced, brown eyes sparkling with mischief.

T.C. tipped his hat, and winked at her, "So nice to meet you, lil' lady."

Eyes widening by the minute, she nearly stumbled back into her friends, graceful, perfect, Beth. "Thanks."

With a confused look, T.C. held up a hand to Dana and Sarah before walking back to his horse.

"What was that?" asked Sarah, shoving her playfully.

"I just said 'thanks' didn't I?" Groaning, she sat back in a seat they'd set out for her. "I'm such an idiot!" Burying her head in her hands, she listened as he was announced as the next rider.

"Oh, don't worry, T.C. is used to women falling all over him. I'm sure of it." giggled Dana.

"I'm awful! Just awful!" she moaned.

"Oh shut up." said Sarah, shoving her again.

She really was awful. Sighing, she sat back in her seat and watched the rest of the rodeo quietly. So much for making a good impression on the handsome cowboy.

--

T.C. James couldn't get over the blonde beauty who now tagged along with the group he had long ago named, "The Rodeo Riders Fan Club." They usually ended up everywhere the rodeo went, only to watch the men and drool. Nice women, hilarious to talk to, even funnier to date. Sighing, he boarded his horse for the night and tromped toward his house. He could see his mother's outline in the window, hear her singing echo in the night.

"Evenin' Mama." he called, as he walked inside.

"Hey, baby." she smiled her usual smile and went back to crocheting the afghan she always worked on. The woman liked to work with her hands, she was always doing something.

"How is it going tonight?" he asked, hoping she'd give him a good answer.

"The babies are down for the night." came her answer, as she finished off another row in her afghan.

"Both of them?"

Beginning to walk toward their room, he smiled as he noted she was right. Tiptoeing into the room, he leaned over one crib and pressed a kiss to Shiloh's forehead. Within a few feet he'd made it to Shadow's crib, and pressed yet another kiss to her identical forehead. Twins. It still brought tears to his eyes when he looked at their precious little faces and remembered their mother. Juliette would've been twenty-five today. His throat clogged, as he stepped out from between the cribs and clasped the framed picture in his hands.

"Tucker?" his mother's voice beckoned him from the door.

"Yeah?" he asked, putting the picture down on the dresser.

"Are you alright?" she whispered, coming to his side and hugging him gently.

"I'll be okay, Mama." was his answer as he helped her out of the room, and closed the door partially.

"If you need anything, you know where to find me!" she called, walking slowly and unevenly toward her bedroom.

He sighed, protectiveness tight in his chest. Once more he was left alone to be the man of the house, and somehow he didn't like the decisions he was being made to make. "You're gonna' hafta' help me out." he said to what he hoped was God up above. He wasn't quite so sure anymore though. Not since Juliette had been taken away from her newborn babies, or since Mama had had a stroke that left her near paralyzed on one side, not with his little girls having to grow up without a mother. Too many things worked against him for there to be a God. At least, that was what he was convinced of.

--

Jazzi set down the folder, and sipped her tea. Everything was working exactly according to schedule. Now, only one more to go after this match took place. Andre. Shrugging and going back to the folders she held, she began to search again. This couldn't be brain science..could it?