After Marla undid the row of tiny, satin-covered buttons on the back, she eased the dress forward and slipped Annie's arms out of it. Carefully the woman held the dress while Annie stepped over it, then she put the gown on a padded hanger.
Annie reached for her robe and slipped it on over her panties and the special bra the seamstress had insisted she wear to give the gown a clean line. Marla called the strapless lace-and-satin undergarment a bustier. But Annie thought it should have been called a corset with its stiff stays and underwiring.
"Should I check in with Mrs. Raines before leaving to see if she has any last minute problems?" Marla asked as she smoothed a plastic shroud over the dress.
"She's not here. She went into town with her husband for dinner. They thought I needed a bit of time alone. Even Trevor's gone to see a friend."
Marla frowned. "He's not gone, ma'am."
"Pardon me?" Annie asked as she cinched the tie of the white terry cloth robe at her waist.
"Mr. Trevor, he's here. I saw him with that friend of his, Mr. Hogue over by the stables."
"How long ago?"
"When I went out to the car to get some extra pins." She picked up the dress and her tote bag, then looked at Annie. "If that's all, I'll see you tomorrow at two. That should give us plenty of time to make sure everything's right before the ceremony starts at six."
"Yes, it should," Annie said as she walked the woman to the door.
When Marla headed for her car parked by the house, Annie glanced over at the stables. In the late afternoon sun the sprawling adobe-walled building shimmered from the heat. She heard a horse whinny, then spotted someone walking at the far end near the main entrance to the building. Trevor was with his friend, heading for the arched doorway.
Annie waved as Marla drove off, tucked the ring in the pocket of her robe and went back inside just long enough to find a pair of sandals. A moment later she stepped back outside and headed across the grass toward the stables. She was glad Trevor was still here. Maybe if they talked, if she told him about what she wanted and what she needed, he could reassure her.
By the time she neared the arched entry to the stables, perspiration trickled down between her breasts and errant curls were sticking to her skin at her neck and temples. Quickly she ducked into the stables, into shadows and decidedly cooler air being stirred by huge ceiling fans. She almost called out to Trevor as she went farther into the dim coolness, but the sound of a raised voice stopped her after two steps.
"Come on, Chris, don't be such a jerk. I want to go into town and have a little fun," Trevor was saying. "You know – Janey what's her name. I heard she's back at the Alibi Saloon, and she's always been willing. Damn, she's hot. Always was. Always will be."
Annie could barely comprehend what Trevor was saying, and she moved forward, just far enough to look around the corner of the stall to see down the main aisle. Trevor was slumped down on a hay bale by some empty stalls in the middle. He was dressed in dark leather pants, a dress Western shirt of bright turquoise fringed in black, and he had a bottle of beer in one hand.
Chris Hogue was out of sight, but Annie could hear him talking. "God, Trevor, you're getting married tomorrow. What do you want with someone like Janey, especially now?"
"If I have to explain that to you, you are in trouble," Trevor said and sourness rose in Annie as he kept speaking. "I'm getting married, not dying." He swigged more beer before he muttered, "Besides, I didn't get a bachelor party, so think of this as my party, but it's a party for two."
"Party with Annie."
"All Annie thinks about is the kid." He shook his head, and his voice was beginning to slur. "Can you believe she won't sleep with me again until after we're married? She says it's going to make it more special. It's a little late for that, I'd say."
"So, you're going to blow everything for a roll in the hay with someone like Janey?"
"I'm not going to blow anything. I got insurance."
"What are you talking about?"
"I was out of it free and clear after Annie told me she was pregnant, at least until the old man found out about the kid. He found an old letter Annie wrote to me after the kid was born. She got my P.O. box from a card I accidentally left behind at the restaurant where she worked. I should have burned the letter, but I didn't. So it came back to bite me in the butt."
"What's this got to do with insurance?"
"The old man said I'd abandoned his grandchild. He blew up and told me to make it right or I was out of everything. He said he was fed up with me. That I was old enough to settle down and straighten up. So, what could I do?"
He tossed off the last of the beer, then lobbed the bottle over the wall of the nearest stall and Annie jumped when she heard the glass shatter on the cement floor. "So, I get married, look like a good son, and do whatever I damn well want to do when the dust settles."
"The insurance, Trevor, what is it?"
He shrugged sharply. "My folks mostly want the kid here. Oh, they like the idea of me being married and settling down, but as long as I give them their grandchild, they'll be happy enough. If Annie doesn't like what I do, I'll just tell good old Mom and Dad that I'm afraid she's a terrible mother for their grandchild and let them help me get custody. So, I can't lose."
Annie pressed a hand to her middle as she fought gut-wrenching sickness. This couldn't be happening. A fury she never knew she possessed came to life in her.
As she moved closer, she kicked a rake propped against the wall, and when it fell with a clatter to the cement, Trevor turned and saw her. For a second, he met her gaze and Annie felt as if she finally saw the real Trevor Raines.
His eyes looked cold and hard, then a calculated smile touched his mouth. "Hey, there," he said. "There's my bride-to-be."
She glared at him, vaguely aware of his friend saying goodbye and disappearing down the aisle-way. All she could do was swallow hard to control her rage. Trevor had money and power behind him. And he wanted Sammi for his own ends. The idea of running was there, but something made her stand her ground as Trevor got to his feet and walked unsteadily over to her.
The smell of beer was strong and distasteful, and Annie hugged her arms around her middle. How could she have even thought they could make a life together? She'd been fooling herself in the most horrible way.
"Hello babe," he murmured and reached out to touch her cheek.
Before she could stop herself, she slapped at his hand to prevent contact.
Anger flared in his alcohol-blurred eyes, and color stained his skin. "What in the hell…?"
"I heard what you said," she managed. "Everything."
"What are you—?"
"Go into town and find Janey what's her name. Have your fun."
He looked almost confused. "Janey?"
"I'm out of here. Do whatever you want to do," she muttered and turned to go, but he grabbed her by her upper arm and spun her back around to face him.
He might be drunk, but he was strong and his fingers bit into her arm. "You're not going anywhere. So, you heard what I was saying. Welcome to the real world. It doesn't change anything."
"It changes everything," she said.
He shrugged as his hold on her tightened even more. "What does it change?"
"I'm not marrying you. I don't want you anywhere around Sammi." His hold was painful and it made her clench her teeth. "Let me go."
He regarded her for a long moment, then he grabbed the tie of her robe with his free hand and jerked her hips against his. The moment of contact made the bile rise in her throat. "Don't you understand," he breathed close to her face. "I can do anything I want to do. And unless you go along with my plans, I promise I'll make your life a misery. I can even arrange it that Sammi is taken away from you – don't doubt it." He fumbled with the tie. "So, why not just sit back and enjoy things?"
He actually laughed as if pleased with the position he had her in, then moved closer and nuzzled her neck with his lips. She tried to twist away, but he let g
o of the robe tie and grabbed a handful of her hair. He jerked hard and snapped her head back until she had to look right into his face.
In that moment, Annie saw the real Trevor Raines. And it provoked a rage in her that was searing. "You son of a—"
He cut off her words with another yank on her hair, which brought stinging tears to her eyes. "Hey, watch your mouth," he hissed. "You'd better get a grip on reality. I don't have to marry you. I could take the kid and kick you out. You ought to be grateful I'm willing to let you stay around."
He was a monster. Growing horror at what she'd almost fallen into filled her, and she gasped, "Let me go, Trevor."
He glared at her, the blurry edge from the alcohol all but gone from his eyes. "Sure, and you can just keep walking. I'll take the kid and you'll never see her again."
In that moment her hatred of Trevor won out and she acted instinctively, balling her hands in fists and driving them as hard as she could into Trevor's middle. She felt the contact at the same time she heard Trevor's gasp. Then his hands let her go and as Annie stumbled back from him, she saw him fall backward. His hands clawed at air, but he couldn't do anything to stop his fall. The next thing she knew the world shifted to slow motion. Trevor went back, his head struck the sharp metal corner of the stall behind him, and he slowly crumpled to the cement floor.
* * *
Chapter 2
« ^ »
Annie clamped her hand over her mouth as she stared down at him on the cold concrete. He wasn't moving. She inched closer to Trevor, then crouched by him, but didn't touch him. Slowly, her hand lowered. "Trevor? Trevor?"
He didn't move, but she could see he was breathing and the fumes of stale beer seemed to be everywhere. Cautiously, she reached out and nudged at his shoulder with one finger. When he stirred, she jerked her hand back. He moaned, flung one hand out to the side, then he stifled again.
She stared at him, not sure if he'd been knocked unconscious or if he'd passed out or maybe a bit of both. Either way, she knew she didn't want to be around when he woke up. She stood and turned, half stumbling across the threshold, then out into the late afternoon sun and across to the guest house. She didn't stop running until she was in the coolness of the house with the door closed and locked behind her.
Then she leaned back against the barrier and hugged her arms tightly around herself, trying to breathe and trying to not remember her last glimpse of Trevor on the ground. His ugly words echoed in her, overlapping with the words he'd said when he'd shown up on her doorstep after being gone for two and a half years, in Taos two months ago.
"Marry me," he'd begged her as he held out the engagement ring. "I missed you. I'm ready to be a husband and father. I want you and Samantha in my life. Come to Oklahoma. Meet my parents. And we can be a family, a real family. Samantha can have a mother and father and grandparents."
She took the ring out of her pocket and stared at it on her palm. That's why she'd come here. Not for the ring, or for the money of the Raines family. She'd come because she'd believed that they could be a family. She'd given up any dream of passionate, undying love as a reason for marriage and settled for giving Sammi what she'd never had.
Now that was gone. She looked at the ring as if it were a poisonous snake, then threw it. Before it had stopped clattering on the hard, clay tile by the hearth, she was at the bed and reaching for the phone. Quickly, she dialed Jeannie's number and when the answering machine clicked on, she spoke in a rush after the tone.
"Jeannie, it's me. I need to talk to you and it's important. I'll call back, but—"
The line clicked, then she heard Jeannie say, "Hey, Annie, I'm here. I thought I heard your voice when we were coming in. What's up?"
Annie bit her lip to steady herself. "Jeannie, is Sammi there?"
"Sure. Hold on."
There was a clicking sound, then Annie heard, "Mommy, Mommy?"
"Hi, baby. Mommy's coming to get you."
"Mommy, come here?"
"Yes, I'm coming. You be a good girl for Aunt Jeannie and I'll be there soon."
She heard Jeannie saying, "Tell Mommy, I love you."
"Wuv you," Sammi repeated.
Tears stung her eyes, and she knew that she'd do anything for her child. "I love you, too, sweetheart," she whispered.
"Now, say bye-bye," Jeannie said in the background.
"Bye-bye, Mommy," Sammi echoed, then Jeannie was back on the line. "Hey, sweetie, tomorrow's the big day. We're going to fly out at nine and—"
Annie spoke in a rush, "The wedding's off." She knew what she was going to do. "Don't come here. I'm coming there."
"Annie, what's going on?"
"I don't have time to explain right now, but I really need your help."
In that moment she remembered just why Jeannie was her best friend and not just the owner and boss at the restaurant. Jeannie didn't ask any more questions or try to argue with her, she just said, "You can explain later. For now, just tell me what you need me to do."
"The most important thing is, please, no matter what you hear, if Trevor shows up there before I can get there, don't let him near Sammi."
"All right."
Annie closed her eyes tightly. "Just … just don't let him get to her, or don't let him take her. Call the police if he even tries to take her."
"I promise you, he won't get near her until you're here."
"Good, good," she said, her voice starting to shake.
"Are you flying back?"
Flying would be the fastest, but she couldn't take the chance of Trevor looking for her at the airport. "No, I'll drive. I've got my car." If she was leaving she had to get out of here right now. There was no way she could face another confrontation with Trevor when he came to. "I have to go, but I'll call you as soon as I get clear of this place, and I'll tell you everything. Until then, just trust me and do what I ask."
"You know I will, sweetie."
Annie hung up and swiped at the tears dampening her lashes. She wasn't about to indulge in self-pity, not now. Quickly she packed, half expecting Trevor to come pounding on the door any minute. She grabbed a pair of jeans and a loose white shirt to wear and stripped off her robe. She stepped into her jeans, but when she tried to undo the bustier, she couldn't manipulate the back buttons by herself.
Short of ripping it off, she knew she wouldn't take the time to get it off. So she gave up, slipped the shirt on over it, did up a couple of buttons, then knotted the loose tail at the front. She put her sandals back on, then grabbed her purse off the bed, quickly stuffed her remaining things in her suitcase and headed for the door. She had three hundred dollars and a car, all she brought with her when she'd first come here with Sammi. That was all she was going to take with her.
Annie stepped out into the lingering heat and looked over at the stables, but there was no one in sight. She started for the multicar garage that sat between the main house and the guest house, half running over the grass. By the time she got to the side door and stepped into the dim interior of the garage, her clothes were sticking to her.
Passing the family cars, she went right to her old compact and threw her things in the back seat. She hurried to open the garage door, then got in her car and thankfully the motor started on the second try. Slowly, she backed out onto the gravel driveway, turned in the loop that went past the main house and stopped just long enough to glance over at the stables.
Trevor was nowhere in sight. She pressed the gas pedal and drove toward the open gates. As she drove out onto the highway in the direction of the state road, she checked behind her in the rearview mirror. He'd be coming after her. She knew that, but for now the road was clear.
As she met her own gaze in the mirror, she saw she was still wearing the wreath of roses in her hair. She tugged at the satin halo, freeing it from her curls and loosening her hair all in one motion.
As her hair tumbled around her shoulders, she tossed the roses over her shoulder onto the back seat, then carelessly brushed her curls back
from her damp skin. It was then she realized she was crying despite her attempt not to. Tears had come silently without warning, the way her world had shattered today. She pressed the accelerator, willing herself to be as far away from Trevor and the Raines family as she could get.
She swiped at her face as she approached the intersection and slowed for the stop sign. She had never been one to dream very much, but she'd let herself dream this past month. Dreams for Sammi … even for herself. Now the dreams were over.
With a shaky oath, she pressed the accelerator and swung right onto the two-lane highway that led west to New Mexico. "So much for dreams."
* * *
Of all the dreams Quint had allowed himself to dream while he was locked up, none approached the reality of driving through the dusky half light of Oklahoma in early evening, alone and free.
He took a deep breath, relishing the feeling of the warm air rushing past, and he didn't see the oxidized blue car pull out in front of him until he was almost on top of it.
He uttered a low curse as he acted on instinct, swinging the Corvette sharply to the left into the thankfully empty oncoming lane. The pungent odor of burning rubber filled the air with the high-pitched squeal of the oversize tires trying to keep a grip on the rough pavement. For a split second, Quint thought the car was going to skid sideways onto the far shoulder, but at the last moment, the traction held and the car swung back into the right lane.
The Corvette came to a shuddering stop with its front end nosing down toward the pavement from the hard braking, then it stilled, half on and half off the pavement. Quint exhaled in a rush, thankful to be in one piece, the he realized the blare of a horn was shattering the silence.
He twisted in his seat so he could look behind him, and all he could see was a cloud of red dust filling the air. Then the dust began to settle, and he saw the red glow of taillights from the other car. The car had nose-dived into a side ditch and the back end was all that was visible from the road.
He hesitated, a part of him willing to press the gas and to get the hell out of there, but he couldn't quite do it. He pressed the gas, but not before he rammed the Corvette into reverse. The hot tires squealed in protest on the pavement as he backed up to stop within three feet of the old car.
THE BRIDE WORE BLUE JEANS Page 2