Free Suddenly Sexy by Linda Francis Lee Page A

front of him.

"Yum." He tried to sound enthusiastic about the mounds of food.

They ate in silence, until Jesse went all still and his head jerked up
and he asked, "What do you usually
do during the summer?"

"Me? I hang out."

"Doing what?"

He shrugged. "Watching TV and stuff."

"While your mother's at work?"

"Sure."

"Who stays with you?"

Travis sat up straight. "I'm twelve. Old enough to take care of myself."

Jesse tapped his fork against the rim of his plate and considered. "You
can't just hang out."

"Why not?"

Jesse ignored that. "How about some kind of summer program? Something
that interests you."

Great, more school , Travis
groaned silently. "Like what?"

"I don't know. Archery? Maybe chess?"

"Chess?" He made a face.

"Then what about chemistry?" Jesse picked up his cup. "Mixing
ingredients. Doing experiments. I used
to love chemistry. Or geology. I bet they have a summer program for
kids at the university."

That's when it occurred to him. Travis worried his lip, and it was all
he could do to keep the excitement from spilling over. "What about golf
lessons?"

His dad kind of jerked and coffee sloshed over the rim.

"I bet I'd be really great," Travis enthused. "You're a golfer. And
your dad was one, too."

"How'd you know that?"

Travis blushed. "I read about you and him. There's tons of stuff about
both of you. They say your
dad could play, but you're the one who won all the trophies. Didn't
your dad ever win?"

Jesse got another look on his face, a weird one this time. "My dad won
plenty," he said. "He was a
great golfer in his day."

Waiting expectantly, Travis thought there'd be more to the story. But
more wasn't coming. "I read that you're about to win a really big
tournament. It sounded totally great." He pushed some eggs around.
"I also read that all the girls love you."

Jesse's brow furrowed.

"They say you can get a girl in your bed faster than any other golfer
around. Cool."

"Cool? This conversation doesn't fall underneath the heading of food or
clothes."

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Just don't believe everything you read, kid. And it sounds to
me like you'd make a great reporter. Maybe Katie could get you a summer
internship down at the station."

Light-headed with disappointment, Travis tried to smile. "Yeah, maybe."

When his mom had told him they were going to see his father, he'd been
totally excited. He had assumed Jesse would feel the same way. Didn't
dads have to be excited about that kind of stuff?

Now, sitting here, with Jesse looking at him so strangely, Travis
figured that dads didn't have to be excited, or maybe they just
wouldn't be excited about a kid like him. He knew he sort of blended
in. Though when he didn't blend in, it was worse—way worse. Other kids
said he talked too much.

"Can I turn on the TV?" he asked.

It looked like Jesse debated his answer. But he must not have wanted to
have to talk anymore, either, because he said, "Okay."

This whole father-son thing sure wasn't working out like Travis had
hoped.

With a turn of the switch, the tiny screen came to life. Travis sat
back and was eyeing the bacon and
toast in silent misery when Kate appeared on the screen.

" Good morning, West Texas! "

"Hey, look, it's Kate."

They stopped eating, or pretending to eat.

" Today I'm at Tumbleweed Trails for a
chat with rodeo star Cowboy Bob ."

Jesse and Travis looked at each other. "Cowboy Bob?" they said in
unison.

Kate was dressed in a buckskin vest with fringe running down the sides,
plus matching buckskin pants,
it looked like, though it was hard to be sure since the screen cut off
the bottom half of her. She stood
next to a gigantic redheaded man in the biggest cowboy hat Travis had
ever seen.

"She looks kind of uncomfortable," Travis mused.

"Who wouldn't be, dressed like that? It's got to be ninety out there
already. I wouldn't be surprised if
she faints."

"It looks like Cowboy Bob could handle her if she did."

Jesse scowled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just that he