Dallas, Texas

"You're right, the workmen have been busy."

Admiring the newly framed stables and neighbouring indoor arena as she unpacked their picnic basket, Jenna indicated she was impressed with the progress that had been made, which she should be considering the short period of time that had passed between inception of idea and breaking ground.

"They're not the only ones."

"No, their boss has been busy calling in favours with the county to move things along quickly, hasn't he?"

"He has."

When Bobby wanted something, he wanted it then and there and he wasn't prepared to wait to see what happened. Able to self-fund the project and familiar with the men whose signatures he needed to get things going, he'd managed to get more work completed in a matter of weeks than he had in years, telling him that JR was wrong and he wasn't completely incompetent when it came to business administration. If he'd had the knowledge he had now years ago then he might have put his college education to better use instead of letting it sit on the wall in the Southfork office like a decoration.

"His wife has noticed."

More dramatic in tone than he thought she needed to be, Jenna's comment bothered him. He did everything he did for him and his family, her and Charlie, and he thought she understood that, but perhaps she didn't.

"Do you think I've been inattentive to our family?"

"I didn't say that."

"You implied it, but I don't think it's true. Do you?"

Looking away, her gaze fixed on Charlie who was just within their range of sight, disappearing and reappearing behind trees as she explored the property, Jenna took a long time to answer, especially considering the simplicity of her eventual response.

"No."

"Jenna, you understand why I'm doing this don't you?"

Touching her face, bringing her full attention back to him, he asked her a question that in his mind had a fixed answer. There was no way she didn't understand where he was coming from, she'd inspired his thoughts to begin with and he'd bounced ideas back and forth with her since then. She'd been included as far as he was concerned, so if she didn't understand why he was doing what he was doing then he didn't know what to say.

"I do."

Nodding, she gave him the answer he wanted, although her tone again said something else.

"But you don't like it?"

"Well, I can't say I enjoy being woken up at dawn when you crawl out of bed or retiring for the night not so long after Charlie goes down, and I can't say I'm all that thrilled about your inability to take days out to spend time with me like you used to, but I don't hate it."

Reminding him of the sacrifices she was making for him, things they hadn't entered into marriage expecting, she tried to put a positive spin on her annoyance but he saw through that.

Once it had been his loose friendship with Cliff and feelings of duty to Pam, and now it was his work she took issue with; she didn't like feeling as though she came second to him and he couldn't really blame her.

"You wish I'd stayed ranching at Southfork?"

"Not even that."

"You wish I was like you, all the time in the world to do whatever you want?"

Before they'd been married he had been like her, his days unstructured, free to do as he wished with, although unlike her he'd been living that lifestyle not because he wanted to but because in his grief he hadn't always been up to facing adult responsibilities and being who he was, he hadn't had to.

"It's great being me."

Smiling, completely genuinely, Jenna's sureness broke the tension between them, making him chuckle.

"I don't doubt that."

"But you don't want it anymore?"

"I didn't say that. It's just, this is the natural order of things. I'm your husband now, you're my wife, and Charlie is our daughter. We have a family and I should work to support us."

He'd already been providing some financial support to Jenna before their wedding, but marriage made everything more serious and he felt strongly about the duties he'd taken on when he'd committed to her.

"You should have enough energy to keep your wife happy too."

Laying her hand on his chest, she leaned forward to kiss him, their encounter quickly turning into a reminder of what he was missing every time he left early in the morning and came home too exhausted to spend much time socialising.

Pulling away as she managed to slide her hand beneath his shirt, aware that they were alone but not entirely, he made a note not to let her fall asleep later without first paying attention to what she was indicating she wanted.

"Are you unhappy?"

Asking her directly, aware that she was pushing him toward something that would make them both happy in the moment, he wanted to hear her thoughts as far as the rest of their marriage went.

"No. I'm happy, but I won't be upset to see the back of these long days of getting everything organised."

Shaking her head, her blonde hair catching the sunlight in a way that made her appear angelic, she reiterated her desire to have him back, which made him feel good.

"That's understandable."

"It will calm down after the summer won't it?"

"I think so."

"Good."

Seeking certainty, obviously pleased when she received it, he wondered whether he was doing everything he needed to for her. Pam had had everything but still pushed herself harder than he thought she should, and while he couldn't imagine Jenna ever expressing any interest in a job of her own, he didn't want her to get to the point where her life as his wife and Charlie's mother was something she thought she needed an escape from.

"Are you bored? Because if you are…"

Technically, he was in control of his days, he could leave later and return home earlier if necessary, it just helped to be onsite to make sure everything was done correctly and on time. If she really needed him around more though he could make it happen. That said, if she was simply looking for something more to fill her days with, he had just the thing in mind, something he was strongly reminded of as he noticed Charlie approaching.

"Bored? No. Do I want to spend time with my husband? Yes."

"It won't be forever, remember that."

"I'll hold you to that."

"Do."

Whispering to Jenna, kissing her on the cheek, he turned his attention to Charlie as she appeared in front of them, her hands filled with dusty rocks and a couple of wildflowers.

"Darius is going to love it here."

All smiles, Charlie gushed about the home they'd selected for her new horse, a gift following the wedding.

"You like it then?"

"It's great."

"That's what we like to hear."

Pleased about her daughter's enthusiasm, Jenna didn't let on that she had any hesitations about his plans.

"Mama, these are for you."

Accepting the flowers Charlie presented to her, Jenna gave her a hug, "they're beautiful, thank you sweetheart."

Turning to look at him, opening her hand to reveal the rocks, she asked for his permission where he didn't think she really needed to. "Can we bring these home with us?"

"Sure."

"Thanks Bobby."

Dropping the rocks on the picnic rug, she hugged him and then as quickly as she'd arrived, departed again, running off to explore in a different direction.

"I'm so glad she's adjusting."

Having slowly been introduced into Charlie's life he hadn't worried about her opinion of him or how she'd take to him being around more often, his biggest concern had been around her adjustment to living in yet another home after the wedding, something Jenna had worried about on their honeymoon, however the transition had gone well and she seemed happy.

"She's resilient."

"Like her mother."

Shrugging, Jenna gave him a clear indication that just because she could be independent and strong, she didn't always wish to be. "I can be fragile if the situation calls for it."

"Oh yeah?"

"Would me needing you make you return home sooner?"

Laughing at her return to their earlier discussion, his amusement turned to something else when she further twisted the topic to suit her interests.

Leaning closer, her breath was warm against his ear as she whispered, "I need you… come home soon…"

Surely aware of how she affected him, it seemed unnecessary to touch him to tell, however that had never stopped her before and didn't stop her now.

"Jenna…"

Grabbing her wrist, sensing what she intended to do and knowing that it wasn't the time or place for any of that, he had to laugh again when she whispered, "spoilsport", in his ear as she withdrew her hand.

"Mhm…"

"Your loss. But now that I know it works I'll be sure to use it someday."

Giggling, she didn't leave with nothing, returning her hand to a more appropriate position but bringing her lips to his, something he had no problem with.

To be continued…