She smiled and kept on smiling as he pulled her to her feet and, linking her arm under his, escorted her to the top of the stairs. There they paused, looking at each other as if embarking upon a great adventure.
In a sense they were, she realized. An adventure in which, she discovered, it was very nice to have him at her side. And on her side.
“Let’s go meet our public, Cinderella,” Will said, and he ushered Lacey down the stairs to the whistled tune of “People Will Say We’re in Love.”
* * *
WITH AN EXPERT EYE, Will surveyed the crowd which had collected on Main Street in the noonday sun. To his estimation—and satisfaction—it looked like the whole town had turned out. Even little old Mabel Atkinson, who never left her house except for church, was there, sitting in her wheelchair under the shade of an umbrella held by her great-granddaughter.
A low and steady murmur, like the buzz of bees on a summer afternoon, filled the hot, dry air. From his vantage standing in the bed of his pickup, he noticed that several of the media folk with cameras had sweated through their shirts. From the looks on their perspiring faces, he’d guess they were wondering how they’d ended up on assignment in this two-bit, backwater Texas town.
Which meant they were going to appreciate him giving them an excuse to pack up and hightail it back to the coast.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Will said in a loud voice, raising his hands to get people’s attention. The noise died immediately, faces rapt. Will hid a smile.
“Now, folks, you’re probably wonderin’ why we called y’all together today,” he said in his best Starbuck, with the whole of the town the gullible Lizzie. “And I know many of you are busy people with better things to do than stand out here in the sun and listen to me jaw-jackin’. So I won’t beat around the bush.”
He turned to the woman who stood next to him, the real person who’d brought these people out in droves. Even now, more than a few of the television cameras were rolling—and aimed straight at Lacey.
He was glad she’d had no chance to spruce up, because her jeans, boots and simple sleeveless blouse struck just the right chord of Texas casual. Except, with the way the sun reflected off her golden hair and her eyes bright as pale green gemstones, she still looked like she belonged on a throne instead of standing in the bed of a pickup. He could see her anxiety about this whole plan, and he remembered her horror of being exposed, of having everyone stare at her like an animal in the zoo. Still, the look in those eyes was trustful as she gazed back at him.
He wouldn’t let her down. Why and how it had become so important to him that he come through for her, Will hadn’t the luxury of pondering right now. All he knew was that her placing her faith in him gave him a feeling like no other he’d had in his entire life. And that he’d done or said something to earn that trust made him feel like a king—and somehow blunted the lingering echo in his heart of his ex-wife’s parting words.
Taking her hand in his, Will gave Lacey an encouraging wink. “Go on, girl. Tell ’em your news.”
She returned his wink with a grateful smile before turning toward the crowd.
“That’s right, folks,” she said with a lot more confidence than he knew she felt inside. “I’m not going to keep you in suspense any longer. Frankly, I’m about to burst with the news—” she paused dramatically and he had to admire her, for the throng held its collective breath “—because Will Proffitt has asked for my hand in marriage, and I’ve accepted!”
There was a three-count of dead silence. Then the whole street erupted.
“I’ll be dogged!” Old Man Wilkins exclaimed.
Vernal Adams clapped her hands. “I knew it! I just knew it. Didn’t I tell you there was sparks a-flying ’tween them two?”
Lacey’s mother looked stunned. Her father wore a frown.
“Miss McCoy, over here!” came the shouts from the news people. “Miss McCoy! What about the count?”
They clambered over each other, jockeying to get their mikes into closer range of her. Will was glad he’d had the foresight to place Lacey and himself out of their reach. He snugged her up against his side as one man struggled to hoist himself into the bed of the pickup, camera and all.
Will set his boot on top of the man’s knuckles and smiled benignly. “Just so’s you know, we Texans are kinda particular about our trucks, and people layin’ a hand on one are like to find themselves missing a few digits, if you know what I mean.”
The man seemed ready to protest until he squinted up—and up—at Will. “Uh, sorry. Didn’t mean to offend.”
Will lifted his boot. “An honest mistake, I’m sure.”
Lacey’s parents had found their way to the front of the crowd, and Will released her so she could bend down to give them both a hug. Just then Lee had reached the other side of truck and motioned him close. Will stooped.
“What d’ya think you’re doin’?” Lee asked furiously. “I swear, Will, if you’re usin’ Lacey to get back at Matt Boyle again—or me—I’ll hog-tie you to a mesquite and leave you out on the range for the buzzards to make a meal of you, and don’t think I won’t!”
“I’m not usin’ Lacey,” Will said in a low, angry voice. “I’m helpin’ her out of a jam and that’s all!”
“Oh, really?” Lee’s eyes widened. “Then you’re makin’ a pretty big idiot of yourself in the process!”
Getting called an idiot didn’t set too well with Will, considering how Lacey had once said how if a man was going to make one of himself over her, he’d do it without her help.
“Actually I was savin’ yours,” he returned. “This kind of grandstanding is right up your alley, and there you’d go lookin’ the fool again in front of the whole town. At least I have the wherewithal not to lose my head and let things get out of hand.”
“Yeah? Well, I guarantee an idea this foolhardy would never’ve crossed my mind, Big Brother.” Lee wagged his head back and forth in wonder. “Nope, I’d have to say this is all your doin’, and don’t kid yourself it’s not. All’s I want is a front seat at this sideshow, ’cause I’m real interested in seeing how you’re gonna get yourself out of this one.”
“If it does the job and gets Laslo off Lacey’s back, that’s all I care about,” Will said tersely.
“That right?” His brother cocked his head to one side. “Well, sounds to me like you might have a few people to convince besides the count.”
Will straightened. Sure enough, the initial shock of his announcement had worn off and people were beginning to try to make sense of it.
“Lookie there!” somebody said, pointing at Lee and Will, obviously picking up on the angry undertones in their conversation. “I knew Lee was still sweet on Lacey.”
“D’ya not got eyes in yer head, ya durned dummy?” came a censuring voice. “Didn’t you see her with Will at the Summer Fling? He kissed her right in front of everybody!”
“Yeah, but then they had that set-to down in front of the tack and feed,” piped up another, “and I know I heard Lacey say somethin’ about them not bein’ an item!”
“That’s right! And what about that mornin’ she and Will got into a ruckus in her Daddy’s truck right here on Main? Weren’t nothin’ loving in that discussion.”
Will looked at Lacey. Her expression of disappointment made the bottom drop out of his stomach.
“This isn’t going to work, is it, Will?” she said softly.
“Now, why do you say that?” he demanded, wondering for just a split second if Lee was right. Was he a prize fool who was going to make an idiot of himself in front of everyone—again—by not knowing what a woman really needed from him?
No! He wouldn’t let Lacey down!
“They don’t believe us,” she answered. “They can tell—even Mother and Daddy looked at me strange.”
“Tell what, fo
r crying out loud?” The hurt in her eyes at his tone about killed him. He reached out, chafing her upper arms with his hands. “What can people tell, Lacey?” he asked more gently.
“That we’re not...not in love.” Her chin dropped, and she looked as forlorn as a motherless calf. And nearly as forsaken. “Th-thank you for trying, though, to help me. It means a lot to me that you would.”
He wasn’t giving up that easy. Will set his teeth into his upper lip, thinking hard. After a moment he said, “So we’re not in love. Is there nothing we could do to persuade people we’re the real McCoy?”
Her head shot up. “What do you mean?”
Drawing her a little closer, he swayed back and forth, a harkening back to when they danced. “I’m just wondering if we might come up with a convincing...demonstration.”
Lacey’s eyes flared in understanding. Then her gaze dropped, almost unwillingly, to his mouth.
He’d seen that happen before, more than once. In and of itself, it was about as powerful a glance a woman could give a man—one that stirred him, at least—and as much of a clue as to her secret desires as he would ever get.
It was all the encouragement he needed.
“Will you trust me, Lacey?” Will asked with a slow smile.
“Wh-what?” she said dazedly, gaze still glued to his mouth.
“Will you trust me?” He enunciated the words.
She nodded jerkily.
He took her hand and turned back toward the crowd. “Like she told you folks, I’ve asked Lacey to marry me and she’s accepted. But we’ve failed to seal the engagement as yet. And y’all know Iron Will Proffitt.” Several people gasped at his use of his nickname. “When it comes to closing a deal, I don’t like leaving any detail undone.”
With that, Will pulled Lacey into his arms. He had the briefest glimpse of the surprised O of her mouth before he covered it with his.
CHAPTER NINE
LIKE THE LAST TIME, kissing Lacey was as close to a dream as Will could get standing up. She had the moistest, softest lips. Will gave himself over to the purely luxurious feeling of kissing the boots off of Lacey McCoy.
She didn’t seem to be holding back much, either.
Slowly, as if coming to him from across a misty pasture at dawn, he became aware of shouts and whistles and applause getting louder and louder until they replaced the pounding of his heart in his ears.
Will drew his head back, shaking it slightly. “I think we convinced ’em,” he said hoarsely.
Arms still wrapped around his neck, Lacey opened her eyes as if waking from a hundred-year sleep and looking just as thoroughly kissable. “Wh-what?”
He couldn’t resist planting one more kiss on Lacy’s delicate nose. “I said I think we’ve got everyone here believin’ we’re in love. And since every one of those cameras is still glued to us, I’ll wager the rest of the free world’ll believe it, too, after those videotapes hit the air waves.”
“Yes, but...but will Nicolai believe it?” Lacey asked, uncertainty touching her eyes.
Will trailed a finger down her cheek. “It doesn’t matter if he does or not as long as people are on our side. He’ll have no choice but to accept it as gospel or risk looking like he’s standing in the way of true love, and that’s never a popular position for a Prince Charming, ex or otherwise.”
She appeared to think the logic of this over for a few moments before she broke into a heartened smile. “You’re right.”
She hugged him, quite spontaneously, right there in front of everyone, and that feeling filled him all over again, near to bursting, as the roar of approval swelled once more.
Then over her head, Will noticed Lacey’s parents. Both of them wore an expression of worry.
And behind them stood Lee, still shaking his head in wonder as if he’d never stop.
* * *
PROOF OF THEIR SUCCESS CAME late that evening in the form of an announcement on the radio in which Nicolai Laslo, via a clipped, formal statement issued by his “people,” said indeed he would not presume to encroach upon another man’s claim to his ex-wife, the countess, and that his greatest wish was that Mr. Proffitt, despite exhibiting the rather crude behavior his occupation seemed to require of him, might appreciate the jewel he had found and treat her accordingly.
“How dare he!” Lacey charged. “After the way he treated me, he’s got some nerve insinuating you’re some...some...”
“Almighty cattle baron?” Will asked. “Or maybe Texas Cattle King?”
Lacey opened her mouth to protest, then realized he had only parroted back her own invectives of him. Instead she gave him a quelling glance, at which he grinned. She’d grinned back before becoming struck with an unaccountable attack of shyness that had her blushing and dropping her gaze like a schoolgirl.
They sat under the stars by the pool, Will with his bootheels propped up on the edge of a stone planter. Rachel had just popped out the back door to alert them to the announcement by switching the news program they’d been listening to to the outside audio speakers.
Before returning inside, her mother had glanced at her questioningly and, riddled with guilt, Lacey had been unable to hold her gaze. It had to seem to both her parents that she’d jumped straight from the frying pan into the fire.
On the ride back to the house after their own announcement, she and Will had discussed keeping the ruse their secret for now. Lacey wasn’t happy about misleading her parents, but Nicolai had already gotten to her mother once. Even though Lacey had impressed upon her mother the importance of speaking not one single word to Nicolai if he had the audacity to call again, she also knew how her ex-husband could manipulate others into telling him what he wanted to know without them having the slightest clue they’d spilled the beans.
And Lacey was under no illusion that they’d heard the last of Nicolai Laslo.
So she and Will had to make this engagement look like the real thing. And apparently, they had put on a pretty convincing show. That’s how they were able to sit in privacy out on the patio. The media had departed—and the rest of the town evidently decided the two lovebirds could use the time alone.
Alone—with Will Proffitt.
Lacey sneaked a covert look at him, his head tilted back and profile illuminated in the rippling light reflecting up from the pool.
He had been so purposeful and confident and dependable today—or actually, so she was learning, as always. He’d said he felt he had some improving and perhaps some proving to do, and as far as she was concerned he’d succeeded. Lacey was endeared beyond measure by his support and understanding. But she couldn’t quite trust those feelings. Didn’t trust herself to.
And if she wanted to know why, it was in his kiss. When Will pulled her close and fit that rich, wild mouth against hers, she was scared to death. For she recognized it as a longing to completely let go in a backward free fall into pure romance.
Of course, she’d had a hearty sample of that sensation today, standing in that pickup bed, and she’d survived it all right. But there she’d been safe, of a fashion. Both times Will had kissed her, they’d had the constraints of being out in public to keep a rein on themselves, and they had both known it. Maybe that’s why he’d kissed her only under such conditions.
And maybe that was why she had a mortal fear of what would happen should he ever get her alone. She didn’t know if she’d be able to hold back—and letting go completely was not an option.
Because it would mean giving herself to him completely, emotionally. And Lacey couldn’t do that, give herself to a man that way again.
“You’re awful, awful quiet over there for someone who just pulled off the biggest victory since Teddy Roosevelt charged San Juan Hill,” Will said.
“I feel more like Davy Crockett holed up in the Alamo,” she returned absently, slouched i
n her chair. “Holding off the enemy for now but on a doomed mission anyway.”
“Oh, come on now. That doesn’t sound like the do or die Lacey McCoy I’ve come to know.”
“It doesn’t, does it?” she said tartly, then sighed. “I’m sorry, Will. It’s just that this business with Nicolai couldn’t have come at a worse time.”
He sat up. “How’s that?”
She pushed herself up straight in her chair, too. “Oh, I’ve been finding out how difficult it is to secure money for the girls’ center. We’ve gotten our nonprofit status, and while I think I can count on the people and businesses in the area to understand the benefit of such services and give what they can to the effort, I’m having a hard time convincing people at the county and state level of the center’s advantage.”
“Do you need outside support that much?”
“Yes and no,” Lacey said. She drew her knees up to her chest and hugged them, wondering if she wanted to get into this subject with Will. She’d told no one about this part of her undertaking.
Will leaned forward, elbows on his knees, his interest obvious. The breeze, normally stiff and heated, was lazy and cooling tonight. It felt like heaven.
“You see,” she said slowly, gaze fixed on the shimmery depths of the pool, “I don’t regard this center as being just for girls in Abysmal and the surrounding area. My hopes for what I can do may be a little ambitious, but I really believe the need for opportunities for girls to build self-esteem and to realize their potential isn’t confined to rural areas. I may be wrong, but I think programs like mine aren’t needed just in small towns, but bigger towns and small cities, and even big cities, the biggest of all. I met a lot of people when I was a countess, and they were girls and young women in all situations, poor and rich, talented and average, minorities and majorities.”
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