The Rancher's Surprise Marriage

by Susan Crosby

  “Which will make her very happy. She loves the city.”

  He couldn’t put his finger on it, but there was something off with her. She was too subdued. Postfilming letdown? Prewedding calm before the storm?

  The fact he didn’t know the answer made him realize how little he knew her, even after almost a month. He’d learned what she liked in bed. She’d told him she ate any kind of food except organ meat. He’d seen for himself that she didn’t watch horror movies unless a friend had a role in it. Even then she watched with her hands over her eyes most of the time.

  He knew, too, that she wanted a family of her own, that she’d taken to his family and was content to spend time with them. So content, in fact, that he wondered if it was a major part of his appeal to her.

  “You’re quiet this morning,” he finally said, curiosity getting the better of him.

  She shrugged and smiled at the same time.

  “Not going to tell me why?” he asked.

  She looked straight ahead. He followed her line of vision, spotting Dino waiting outside his RV just as she looped her arm through his and leaned her head against his shoulder, obviously for Dino’s benefit.

  “There’s no reason in particular,” she said. “I’m enjoying the morning here on your ranch. It’s been a spiritual highlight of my life.”

  “Spiritual? You love the smell of manure in the morning, Margaret?”

  She grinned. “It doesn’t smell like manure. Well, outside the stables it doesn’t, anyway. The air here is so…crisp and clean. The sky is so incredibly blue. It touches me deep inside.”

  Also aware of their audience, Tony kissed her head as he considered how well they’d been playing house together. He was a realistic man, knew she didn’t belong on the Lucky Hand. He was glad she was enjoying herself and the novelty of her situation, but the isolation would get to her at some point, probably sooner than later, and he would put an end to the marriage…

  Not until he got tired of her, however, which was bound to happen. Every relationship got stale. Although now that they were having sex, it could take a while longer.

  They reached the house. She claimed the shower. He didn’t argue, figuring she had to get busy with breakfast, but he leaned against the bathroom sink and watched her through the glass enclosure, talking to her so that she thought he had a reason to be there. Otherwise it would just seem…voyeuristic, even though he had every right to be there.

  “You sure you don’t want help in the kitchen?” he asked, passing her a towel as she opened the shower door.

  “Thanks. And no thanks.”

  He grabbed another towel and dried her back.

  “What are you, my lady’s maid?” she asked, smiling in the mirror at him.

  He met her gaze. “If we had time I’d lick all the water off.”

  Her eyes got bright. “I could probably use another shower after I’m done putting breakfast on the table.”

  “You think it’ll be that strenuous?”

  “Oh, I’m sure of it.”

  The thought of running his tongue over her whole body made him ache with need. “You’ve got yourself a date.”

  When he emerged from his own shower later she was gone. He dressed and wandered to the kitchen, noticing that the dining-room table was set for six.

  He didn’t know what he’d expected. Chaos, perhaps? Clutter, at least. But the kitchen was orderly, with nothing on the counter but a pitcher of orange juice. He smelled fresh coffee, heard the distinctive sound signifying it was almost done dripping.

  She leaned her elbows against the counter and smiled at him as he opened the oven door.

  “There’s French toast and ham in here,” he said, unable to hide his shock.

  “Just as I said.”

  “How’d you do that? Oh, I know. Sadie cooked it at her house and Butch brought it over.”

  “No, but you’re warm. Breakfast is compliments of the executive chef of the Desert Canyon Resort and Spa. So are lunch and dinner, which are in the refrigerator, ready to serve and/or reheat.”

  “You cheated.”

  “How so? I said I was taking care of breakfast. I did.”

  “You made a phone call.”

  “But I thought of it. And I set the table. Found platters. Tracked down maple syrup.” She was grinning by now.

  “What’s for lunch?”

  “Sandwiches and potato salad.”

  “And dinner?”

  “Something incredible, I’m sure. It’s all packaged up.”

  “You don’t know what it is, Margaret? I could’ve barbecued steaks.”

  “I know that. This was more fun. I told them to surprise me.”

  She was proud of herself, he realized, like this was some kind of accomplishment. Just like mucking the stalls. Had she really done so little for herself before?

  He decided to change the subject. “So, who’s joining us for breakfast?”

  “Dino and Leesa. Butch and Sadie.”

  “Sadie’s feeling okay?”

  “She says she’s better. I’m fixing her dry toast, then she’ll see how she does. She’s not comfortable having me wait on her, I can tell you that.”

  “No surprise there.”

  Leesa showed up, fresh from a shower, her hair still wet. Dino came through the kitchen door, looking bewildered and out of his element, followed immediately by Butch and Sadie.

  Tony enjoyed watching Maggie pamper her guests. Her eyes lit with pleasure throughout serving them all and then sitting to eat with them. Conversation flowed freely—except from Dino—then Butch and Sadie left for her doctor’s appointment, Dino slipped out and Leesa asked if she could take the SUV into Phoenix for the day.

  Tony loaded the dishwasher, and Maggie tidied up. Then they were done and alone.

  She seemed nervous. He wondered why.

  “I believe we have a date,” he said, hooking his arm around her waist and pulling her close.

  “You don’t have work to do?”

  Meaning? Was she trying to avoid him? What was going on with her? “Not until Butch gets back. You change your mind? Lost the mood?” Was it the beginning of the end for them? “Slave too hard over a hot stove?” he added, hoping to make her smile.

  She put her hands along his face and went up on tiptoe. Then she kissed him, almost desperately. He didn’t push her for an answer but swept her into his arms and carried her to his room, where he enjoyed every inch of her…

  Even if a voice in his head kept reminding him that something had changed with her. And in his experience change was rarely good.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The day before the wedding, Maggie awakened early and watched Tony sleep. She struggled not to comb his hair back with her fingers so that she could see his face better. I love you, cowboy. The words stayed trapped in her head, echoing loudly, haunting and taunting.

  That’s the price you pay for messing with the sacred institution of marriage.

  She hadn’t taken her attraction to him seriously in the beginning. She’d been looking for a solution to her problems, and Tony had been standing there, a sexy and willing solution. At the time, she hadn’t considered she wouldn’t want to end the marriage at some point, or how much she’d asked of him.

  He was the same as he’d been from the moment she’d met him—patient, independent, sexy—and that was the problem. He hadn’t changed, while she was a different person. Loving him had changed her. She’d fallen for him fast, but she hadn’t trusted her feelings, not after doing the same with Scott.

  But not like this. Not with the consuming need to be with Tony all the time, to want to please him, to want to fit into his world, something that not only didn’t seem to matter to him, but probably wouldn’t be possible, anyway.

  Maggie rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. How could she fit in here? Who would give her a chance? Even his father didn’t think she could. She wanted not to have to depend on so many other people in her life to get her through.
She wanted to do more for herself. She’d tried—in the stable and taking care of the meals yesterday.

  She just hadn’t had enough time to prove herself to Tony, to get him to fall in love with her.

  Plus, there was his family to consider, and his already tenuous relationship with his father, who would be proven right, in Tony’s mind anyway, when the marriage ended. His mother and everyone else would hate her.

  Somehow she’d fallen in love with them, too, especially his mother, who always had hugs to spare, who loved Tony, who would be so disappointed in both of them.

  It seemed like a worse lie than their original plan. At least with that, they both knew the marriage would end. Now she didn’t want it to end. Ever.

  How could she marry him knowing she didn’t want a divorce? She didn’t want to do that to him, to see him hurt in his family’s eyes, to be the subject of tabloid stories that would haunt him for a long time.

  She thought she’d been driven by a need for family and stability, but she could see now that it was balance she was seeking. Not career or family, but both, with career taking a backseat most of the time.

  Now what? She closed her eyes, as tears welled. She wanted him. Wanted to marry him and be his wife forever—for real. To have his babies. To escape Hollywood, to work now and then only on projects that mattered to her.

  She’d earned enough money for a lifetime. Now she wanted to have a life.

  But she didn’t want to marry him unless he loved her—I-do-forever loved her. Didn’t want to do that to him.

  If she canceled the wedding, she’d be the subject of a bigger scandal than before, because people would really question her sanity. Had Maggie McShane gone over the deep end? Was she cracking up? Had America’s sweetheart been a façade?

  That kind of false speculation would hurt, but she could weather that. And if not? Well, the punishment should fit the crime.

  She’d brought it all on herself.

  And now she knew she couldn’t put it on Tony now.

  What she’d needed was time. She’d run out of time. Yet that same amount of time had made her a much stronger woman, too. She could face anything now. Her grandmother would be so proud.

  “You’re up before the roosters.” Tony’s voice drifted over her, rough with sleep.

  She crowed softly, then stretched and yawned, dragging her hands along her face to dry the tears that had dripped into her hair.

  “I thought we didn’t have to head to the airport until noon,” he said, sliding an arm over her waist.

  “You’re right. Airport at noon. Rehearsal at The Taka at five. Rehearsal dinner immediately after.”

  He was quiet for a few beats. “What’s wrong?”

  The tears returned. She couldn’t stop them. So much for her acting skills. She couldn’t even speak.

  “Wedding jitters?” he asked.

  “In a way.”

  He said nothing for a long time. “I’m guessing we should be dressed for this discussion.” He rolled out of bed, grabbed his jeans, tossed her a robe.

  She pulled it on then sat cross-legged on the bed. He sat at the end, his face grim. “So, what’s going on?” he asked.

  “I think we should call off the wedding.”

  Silence fell between them for a few tense seconds.

  “Like hell we will.”

  “Tony, I—”

  “No. I don’t want to hear it.” He left the room in great, long strides.

  Stunned, she didn’t move. He hadn’t asked why. What person doesn’t ask why? So she hadn’t had a chance to tell him, either, that she loved him, that she couldn’t marry him knowing she didn’t want it to end, how unfair that was to him. Didn’t he want to know why? She would. She would want a complete and thorough discussion, and—to know how he felt, too.

  No. He wouldn’t want to hear a long explanation. He’d want it short and sweet. But she had too much to explain for that.

  But maybe he’d changed his mind, too? Maybe he felt different now? Should she ask him, or would that put him on the spot too much? They had an agreement. He only wanted her to honor it.

  He returned, holding a legal document, tossing it and a pen on the bed in front of her. “Our lawyers have vetted the prenup. I assume you got a copy to review.”

  “Yes. Tony—”

  “We made a deal, Maggie.”

  Maggie. Hearing that name from his lips was like a knife to her heart. “I need to tell you why,” she said. “You need to know why.”

  “I don’t care why. Nothing you say would make a difference.”

  She grasped at straws. “I’ll still finance whatever you need for the ranch. You won’t lose—”

  “We made a deal,” he repeated, low and harsh. “Part of that deal was that I got to call off the marriage, not you. I haven’t decided to do that.”

  She was a coward not to just tell him right now, no matter what he said. She’d never been a coward. She’d never wanted anything so much, either. Now she would have a bigger hurdle to getting him to love her.

  “I’m goin’ for a ride,” he said, his voice tight. He started to leave, then turned back around. “I never would’ve thought this of you. Never.”

  With those words ringing in her head, she watched him leave, wondering how they were supposed to look like a couple in love and about to get married.

  She could act her way through anything, but could he?

  Tony stood at the bottom of the jet stairs, the last to board the chartered plane. He’d been able to avoid Maggie until now, but as soon as he got on board he would have to act like the happy groom.

  Until five o’clock this morning it would’ve been simple.

  After she’d dropped her bomb on him he’d ridden as far out as he thought his horse could handle and still have enough in him for the ride back. Tony had been angry before, hurt, too, plenty of times. He’d lived down his divorce by keeping quiet about it. Maggie was a celebrity. No way would it be quiet.

  She’d changed his life with the deal they’d made. He never reneged on a deal, and he wouldn’t let her, either.

  He’d thought they’d reached some kind of accord, had gone from resisting each other to not being able to get enough of each other, at least in bed. He’d been looking forward to what was ahead.

  Now he either had to fake his way through the next couple of days or call it off.

  Call it off. Those words had been shouting at him for hours, even though she’d signed the prenup and left it on his desk without comment.

  Conversation and laughter drifted from inside the plane, filled to the brim with his family and a few friends. The women in his family were all aflutter at the star treatment. His nieces and nephews were boisterous, their excitement uncontained at the novelty of the whole thing. His father had looked into his eyes for a few long seconds then climbed the stairs, while his mother hugged him, her smile lighting up her face.

  Too many people would be disappointed if the wedding didn’t happen, even the hotel people, Maggie’s friends, to whom she’d promised the PR event of the year.

  He’d imagined it all so much differently.

  “Mr. Young?”

  Tony came to attention after the pilot called out from the top of the stairway.

  “By my count we’re all boarded except you, sir.”

  Tony took the stairs. He scouted the interior, saw the grins on everyone’s faces. Saw, too, the empty seat next to Maggie. The only empty seat.

  To hell with it. If she could act normal, so could he.

  He moved down the aisle and sat beside her without looking at her face. When the plane began to taxi, he took her hand. He felt her go limp, her head coming to rest against his shoulder.

  “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice shaky.

  “I’m doing this for all of them, not you,” he fired back.

  “I’ll make it up to you.”

  “I don’t want anything from you—” Margaret. He’d almost called her Margaret. “But we�
�re going through with this. And everyone will see we’re a loving couple, happy to get hitched. Got it?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay, then.” He cupped her face, drawing it up so he could kiss her, only a bit of a kiss, something acceptable for public viewing, just as the plane left the ground. He should have been soaring, too.

  He wasn’t.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Through the limo window, Maggie saw her publicist standing by the revolving door of the hotel parking entrance. Three limos in succession pulled in, and Garnet hurried forward, a photographer at her side. Photos were snapped as they exited the car, walked to the entrance and stepped inside.

  Maggie glanced at Tony, but his hat obscured his face. He’d have to take it off once they got inside, though, so she would have a better idea of how he was doing.

  He’d been attentive on the plane, although it was all surface. Mostly it had been one big party, raucous and rowdy and a lot of fun. The two-hour trip seemed like fifteen minutes.

  Everyone gawked at the incredible hotel lobby, elegant, sleek and glitteringly new.

  Grady found his voice first. “You sure do know how to pick ’em, brother. She may be ugly and the least talented person on earth, but she’s got connections.” He clapped Tony on the shoulder as he grinned at Maggie.

  He’d insulted her. She’d been accepted. It was all she could do not to drop to her knees and bawl. Instead she hugged Grady, unable to think up any witty comeback, then she met Tony’s gaze—his unreadable gaze.

  “Good afternoon, everyone,” a woman just outside the huge circle of people said. “My name is Andrea Clare, and I’m the wedding planner. Welcome to The Taka San Francisco. Those of you involved directly in the wedding will need to be in the grand ballroom by five o’clock for rehearsal. Then dinner will be served after to all of you at six. Each family has a staff member assigned to assist you in getting to their room. Please head to the registration desk. We have a full crew waiting. You’ll be given a sheet with your instructions and a map of the hotel, but if you have any questions, please call the front desk or me personally.”