The Rancher's Surprise Marriage

by Susan Crosby

  “Look at the time,” Sue-Ellen said suddenly. “We’d best be getting home.”

  “Do you have to drive back to Scottsdale tonight?” Maggie asked Mary Beth.

  “No, I’ll stay at the ranch. My kids are old enough to get themselves off to school okay without me. For a day, anyway. This was really fun, Maggie, thank you.”

  “For me, too. We’ll do it again.”

  There were hugs goodbye, then she stood on the porch, waving as they pulled away.

  She’d told Sadie to go to bed an hour ago, so she cleared the dining-room table, loaded the dishwasher, probably incorrectly, then was headed to the bedroom when someone knocked on the door.

  Butch stood there, as well as Dino. Butch was holding up some kind of transmitter. “Tony wants to talk to you. Just push this button when you want to talk, then let go of it so you can hear him. You can keep it with you. I’ll get it from you in the morning.”

  “I thought he said—Never mind. Thanks.”

  She waited until she got into the bedroom before she pressed the button, even though he kept saying her name every few seconds, and added instructions on what to do in order to talk.

  “So, I guess you’re under a good-reception tree, hmm?” she said, dripping sarcasm.

  “The transmitters are a recent purchase. Smoke signals and birdcalls weren’t too reliable.”

  She refused to laugh, so she didn’t key the mike.

  “I just wanted to be able to surprise you tonight,” he said.

  That took the wind out of her sails. He really was sweet. “Well, you did.”

  “How’d it go? And before you answer, you should know this isn’t private.”

  “Really, Tony, you could’ve said that right at the start. I could’ve embarrassed myself.”

  “I would’ve interrupted.”

  Was he laughing? She was pretty sure he was laughing.

  “Did Mary Beth wear you out with questions?” he asked.

  She didn’t want anyone who might be listening to think she was being stuck-up. “She asked a lot. I answered a few. You sure were a cute little tyke in your red cowboy hat.” He still looked cute, especially wearing those leather chaps that emphasized what a great butt he had.

  “Which means that Mom brought the photo album.”

  He’d probably groaned, but hadn’t keyed up yet so she could hear him. “She did,” Maggie said. “I loved it.”

  “What other secrets did she reveal?”

  “Just favorite mother/son stories. Nothing embarrassing. That’ll come at another time, I think, when we’ve settled in with each other. She didn’t let the cat out of the bag about anything.”

  “She’s a smart woman. She knows that puttin’ that cat back in is just about impossible.”

  She laughed, remembering to key up so that he heard.

  “So you had a good time?” he asked.

  “I had a great time, Tony. They’re wonderful women. Very genuine. How’s everything where you are?”

  “Had to round up more strays than usual. Had some broken fence.”

  She loved knowing he was there, within voice range, but she wanted to tell him she missed him—because she did. She was sitting on the great big bed she’d shared with him for three weeks.

  “You there, Margaret?”

  She wanted to feel his arms around her, to sleep snuggled up to him, as she had been. “I’m here.”

  “You must be tired.”

  “I still have to learn lines.”

  “Oh. Sorry. I didn’t realize. I’ll let you go. Sweet dreams.”

  She didn’t want to let him go. “Tony?”

  “What, darlin’?”

  “Stay safe.”

  “I will. Don’t you worry. I’ve done this more times’n I can count.”

  “Okay. Good night.”

  “Night. I’ll give you a buzz tomorrow night, unless you’ve got plans.”

  “I was thinkin’ about goin’ into town and playin’ a round or two of pool at the Red Rock Saloon,” she teased.

  “For old times’ sake?” he asked, his tone unreadable.

  “Trip down memory lane.”

  “Short trip, considering.”

  She could tell he was smiling. “I’ll be here. Call when you can, cowboy.”

  “You need me during the night, just push the button and start talkin’, okay? I’ll hear you.”

  Just knowing that made her relax. Really, when had she become so dependent? “Okay. Later, then.”

  “G’night.”

  She hugged the transmitter before setting it on the bedside table. After a minute she got up, changed into her nightgown, grabbed her script pages and crawled into bed.

  When she woke up in the morning, she was wrapped around his pillow.

  Chapter Eleven

  Maggie sat back and enjoyed the view as she, Dino and Leesa were driven from the airport to downtown San Francisco Sunday morning. Maggie adored the City by the Bay. She loved the marine fog that turned everything gray until midday. She wallowed in the salty ocean breezes that scented the air, was fascinated by the unique architecture, the gawking tourists and the noisy crowds at Fisherman’s Wharf.

  As cities went, it was entirely individual. She’d been thinking for a while about selling her Malibu house and buying a place in the San Francisco area, renting space in L.A. only when she needed to be there for long periods of time. Leesa’s wish to keep their home base in L.A.—where the action was, according to her—had delayed Maggie from going ahead with her plan. Dino hadn’t weighed in, saying only that he served at the pleasure of Maggie McShane, as if she were president or something, which had made her laugh.

  Since she hadn’t taken either Leesa or Dino into her confidence about the truth of her impending marriage, Maggie figured they probably thought she would be living at the Lucky Hand, at least during her breaks. She wondered how they felt about that. Dino would never ask if that was her plan. Leesa would, in time.

  Maggie didn’t have answers herself yet, so she hoped Leesa put off asking for a while.

  When Maggie stopped to think about it, it was strange how few plans she had for her life at this point, a life that was usually booked for two years in advance. She had the indie movie next month, then a feature film in six months. Filming for the current movie had ended yesterday, so unless they needed any reshoots, she had several days to rest and play before they headed back to San Francisco next weekend for the wedding. She wanted to ride a lot more, to see all of Tony’s land, owned and leased. To have that race they’d talked about. And to see the cattle, which she hadn’t yet.

  “Where are you and Tony going on your honeymoon?” Leesa asked, breaking into Maggie’s pleasant thoughts.

  Honeymoon? How amazing—neither she nor Tony had brought it up. “Um. Not decided yet.”

  Dino sat up a little.

  “What?” she asked him, knowing he’d reacted in some way. “Did Tony tell you something?”

  He squirmed. “No, I—I’m sure you’d be the one to know.”

  “He did, didn’t he?” She leaned toward him. “Where’s he taking me?”

  “I couldn’t say.” His expression closed up.

  She knew that look. She wouldn’t get any information out of him.

  Was Tony really planning a honeymoon? He shouldn’t be spending money on something so frivolous. She’d be happy at the ranch…

  But he would seem like less than a loving bridegroom. She shouldn’t be surprised. He’d been protective of her reputation from the first night, her chivalrous cowboy.

  “There’s the hotel,” Leesa said, pointing ahead. “Wow. Talk about soaring. It’s touching the clouds.”

  The building was all silvery-gray concrete and glass, a modern structure that shone like a jewel amid other glittering buildings around it.

  Leesa had called ahead, so when their limo pulled into the hotel entry, three people were already there to greet them, including Jenny Warren, Maggie’s friend.

&nb
sp; Maggie’s heart skipped a beat or two at seeing Jenny in her seventh month of pregnancy. She hadn’t tamed her copper-colored hair in a knot as she used to, but left it down and flowing. She looked…maternal, one hand resting on her abdomen.

  They hugged. Maggie felt the hard, round cradle of pregnancy press against her, creating a longing inside her that had been surfacing a lot lately.

  Jenny hooked her arm through Maggie’s, and they moved toward the building. Around them last-minute construction continued, a cacophony of equipment and workers, then the two women stepped into the hotel itself, all modern and stylish. Although quieter than outside, it echoed with construction sounds, as well.

  “You look gorgeous, as always,” Jenny said.

  “So do you. You’ve got the pregnancy glow I’ve always heard about.”

  “I’m starting to waddle. I hate that.” She grinned, her eyes sparkling. “Richard has been so sweet. So complimentary. But I know I’m walking funny. Hi, Dino. Hey, Leesa,” she said to the pair that followed. “Dino, the security chief will be with you in just a minute. He’ll give you a tour. And, Leesa, here comes the wedding planner, Andrea, who will show you the suites and answer any of your questions.”

  With that business settled, Jenny took Maggie to Ally Rogers’s office, the interior designer who’d been hired the month before to finish up the decorating after the original designer was found to be taking kickbacks and bribes. She’d inherited a huge job, since it meant taking over the Kyoto site, too.

  “I have to say, Jenny, the negative publicity about the company being sued made me wonder if the wedding would happen here.”

  “I don’t think a tsunami could’ve stopped this wedding. It’s being handled, Maggie. As soon as our CFO Tom Holloway discovered that Taka-Hanson was being sued by that fired employee for wrongful termination, he hired a great attorney, Eric Nelson, to defend the company. He’s an old law school friend of Jack Hanson. Believe me, there won’t be a scandal surrounding your wedding.”

  Except maybe my own, Maggie thought. “You realize that none of those names ring any bells with me.”

  Jenny laughed. “Sorry. I get carried away with the family business sometimes. So—on to more interesting things. Ally told me you two know each other.”

  “She redid my house in Malibu last year. She’s a dream to work with.”

  “And so much in love.”

  “Really? I hadn’t heard that.”

  They entered the office. Ally, her honey-blond hair shimmering over her shoulders, came around her desk, her hands extended. She was a designer to the stars, but could’ve been a star herself, given her curvaceous body and gorgeous face.

  Jenny said she’d be back to get Maggie later and they would have time to catch up, then have an early dinner with Richard before Maggie’s flight home. She left Maggie alone with Ally then.

  “Jenny tells me you have news,” Maggie said. “Something about being in love?”

  Her eyes went a little dreamy. “His name is Jake. We’re engaged.”

  “That’s wonderful. When’s the wedding?”

  “We haven’t set a date. He lives in Chicago, so we’re trying to figure things out. I’m sure I’ll be moving there, but right now it’s a whirlwind. I can’t wait, though. Come on. Let me show you this magnificent building.”

  Beginning a thorough tour, Ally grabbed a notebook and led Maggie into the grand ballroom, an elegant, cosmopolitan room with high ceilings, sleek chandeliers and a large dance floor. Ally showed Maggie renderings of how the room would look decorated—not tons of roses but unusual orchids, a variety of species and colors. Maggie wondered how Tony would react to the nontraditional design—if he even cared about such things.

  “An entire staff has been devoted strictly to your wedding and reception,” Ally said. “You know the hotel isn’t officially open yet, but we have enough guest rooms prepared for all your guests.” She gave Maggie a detail-by-detail rundown of the event as they toured the hotel, including the kitchen.

  “So, I know you and Jenny are friends,” Ally said as they made their way back to her office. “May I ask how you met?”

  “I was in Japan doing a film, maybe four years ago? Jenny was a society reporter at the Tokyo Tribune trying to be acknowledged as a ‘serious’ journalist, and she covered a party I attended. I’d escaped to a private garden for a little break from the crush, and she followed me, and quite efficiently and charmingly talked me into giving her an exclusive interview.” Maggie smiled, remembering how determined Jenny had been. “We just liked each other, and stayed in touch ever since.”

  “Then she heard you were getting married and offered the hotel for the ceremony?”

  “Offered my name to Helen Taka-Hanson, anyway, as an opportunity to open the hotel with a big PR splash. It was good timing, all around. Symbiotic.”

  “Definitely for the hotel,” Ally said. “And now you’re living on a ranch. Need a decorator to make it yours?”

  Maggie pictured Tony’s reaction to that. “I wouldn’t dream of changing anything yet. I do expect to have more work for you at some point, but not until I figure out my housing situation, what to keep, what to sell. I’m not going to make any quick decisions.”

  Their long trek brought them back to Ally’s office. “Let me give Jenny a buzz, and see if she’s ready,” Ally said. “That is, if you feel all your questions have been answered, and everything is to your satisfaction.”

  “It looks exquisite, Ally. Thank you so much. I knew Jenny would keep an eye on things, but it wasn’t her job except as a friend. And with the pregnancy, it was too much to ask. As soon as I heard you were taking charge and would be here a lot, I knew I wouldn’t have to worry.”

  “Well, as I said, I’m just the hub of a great big wheel of competency, including an official wedding planner. We’ve had the best people working on everything. It’ll be a showcase for them, too, so they’ve gone all out.”

  “I’m glad I don’t see the bill,” Maggie said, smiling. “Garnet’s lined up someone to buy rights to the first photos, I understand. We had a huge argument about it.”

  “Can’t buck the system. It’s the norm for a celebrity wedding these days. At least this way you’ll get approval of the photos they run.”

  Maggie moved to the window as Ally made the call to Jenny, but there wasn’t much to see from the low level. She wondered how Tony was going to feel about the photos being sold. She probably should’ve consulted him, because she was pretty sure he wouldn’t know it was the “norm.”

  “I’ve had a light snack sent up to the suite, since we’ll be having an early dinner,” Jenny said a few minutes later as they took the elevator to the top floor.

  “Where are Leesa and Dino?”

  “Leesa’s waiting in the suite. I think she wants to be turned loose to do some shopping. Dino’s doing what Dino does. Got his nose in every corner of the building, checking for security flaws. I don’t think he’ll find any. We’ve guaranteed that the president could stay here.”

  “Which should be enough for Dino, but won’t be,” Maggie said, as the elevator door opened into a large, airy living room space, complete with piano. The view of the city was unrivaled, encompassing bridges and the Bay and peaks and valleys, plus the incredible skyline unmatched anywhere else in the world.

  She sent Leesa on her way, asked her to be back by five o’clock, then settled in with Jenny to eat from a tray of fruit and cheese. They enjoyed a long, easy conversation. Maggie wished she could share the truth with Jenny—with anyone. With every passing day she’d felt more pressure, more stress from hiding and pretending.

  Later, Jenny’s husband joined them for dinner. Maggie had met Richard only once, but his love for his wife hadn’t dimmed with time. “Tall, dark and handsome” described him, but the way his gaze went tender upon seeing Jenny was indescribable—and made Maggie feel alone. Oh, Tony was wonderful to her, but he never looked at her like she was the most precious thing in his life.


  And why should he?

  Why should he, indeed. They’d made a business arrangement. The fact they’d been so sexually compatible normally would be a bonus. They hadn’t argued about anything, probably because of the short-term deal. Why waste time and energy on arguing?

  But I want him to look at me like Richard looks at Jenny…

  In the middle of San Francisco-style dinner of clam chowder, crab legs and sourdough bread—and roast chicken for Jenny—Richard got a phone call. He excused himself, not returning for about ten minutes, then sat down to finish dinner.

  “That was Steven. My brother,” he added to Maggie. “Caitlin, his twelve-year-old daughter, is giving him trouble.”

  “What kind of trouble?” Jenny asked.

  “She got herself mixed up with the wrong crowd, and is rebelling, big time.”

  “It’s tough to lose your mother when you’re so young. What’s he going to do?” Jenny asked.

  “I’m supposed to talk to you about it.” Richard’s eyes twinkled.

  “This must be the day people need my sterling advice. Remember my friend Samara? Maggie, I think you met her in Japan, too, didn’t you?”

  “The photographer?”

  “Right. She’s decided to move to the States and wondered if I could help her get settled.”

  “That’s a big move,” Richard said.

  Maggie sat back and sipped her iced tea as they talked. Richard and Jenny lived a regular life. They worked, ate meals together, talked about normal things. What would it be like not to be in the spotlight? Maggie wondered. To have a sibling ask for help regarding a troubled child? To have a friend want her help with a move to a new country? To have a normal how-was-your-day conversation?

  What would it be like to be married and have children and a life without paparazzi or the need for a bodyguard? Not to have her garbage rummaged through and her every move documented?

  Family and security. It wasn’t just her dream anymore but a craving, and yet she’d set herself up in a situation where she would only go through the motions of marriage then head to divorce court. And for what? To protect her image? Yes. Future roles? Definitely.