by Alexa Davis
I must have tried on twenty dresses before the mothers would let us try another store. I wanted to pick dresses for my bridesmaids, almost all of which were with me. I had taken the drive time to stress about how to not hurt any feelings, texting Daniel like I was in a hostage situation looking for an escape. He reminded me that he had four brothers to consider, so I decided in the end that everyone involved with making the Ranch my home should be included, even Amanda and Verica. I wondered what poor Verica would think of being thrown into this, but relief that I could just ask and let her decide was enough for me, for now.
I had my head in a tube of frothy, white fabric when I heard a muffled voice that sent chills down my spine. I wriggled my way through so I could leave the dressing room, taking tiny steps in the slim-cut column dress.
“Well, it looks like someone needs a helper in the dressing room!” exclaimed that voice as I peered out into the waiting room where my clan all sat. I looked in a mirror, and sure enough, my hair looked like I had been pulled through a wind tunnel, backward. Sara was standing in the doorway, eyebrows raised, smirking. “You step into those, darling.” She snickered before making herself at home on one of the available seats.
“What are you doing here, Sara?” I asked in a snarl. I fought the urge to pat my hair down and stared her down.
“I was just checking in on rumors,” she tittered. “It looks like you’ve gotten carried away with that little crush of yours.” She saw me flinch and went for blood. “How are you going to explain being here if Daniel finds out? How awkward.”
She lounged back in the seat, ignoring my mother’s gasp. I pulled my gloves off and made certain she could see the enormous diamond and filigree ring Daniel had talked me into wearing, grateful for his persistence.
“I’m not sure what you mean, Sara,” I replied coolly. “But please, if you’re staying, let me introduce you.” She rolled her eyes and I continued. “Sara Abbott, this is my mom, Mrs. Martinez, Daniel’s mother, and my good friends, Tracy, Fredericka, and Amanda.” Her eyes already widened at the sight of the ring, went wide as plates as I introduced Hannah, whom I realized had never actually met Sara. I left Amanda out of it, but she looked ready to throw in for a catfight without any help from me.
“Of course, little friends from school, you must be so excited,” Sara tossed an obligatory insult at my girls and I wondered for a moment if she’d lain in wait until I was wearing a dress I couldn’t move in well-enough to beat her up.
“Oh, not me,” Amanda chimed in, causing Sara and I both to start and look in her direction. “I know Rachel through Tucker. We’ve been dating for a few months and we live together.” Sara finally looked uncomfortable.
“Well, isn’t he lucky,” she managed to choke out. “I suppose he had to go somewhere once I stopped taking his calls.” She recovered and I saw Tracy lay her hand on Amanda’s arm.
“Now, now, Sara,” I spoke up. “We understand that screwing your father’s married friends is a task that requires a great deal of planning and attention to the details of your lies. It’s only understandable that you wouldn’t have time for anyone else.” She glared at me and I couldn’t help but gloat a little, despite my little “inside voice” yelling at me to stop. “It must be difficult, never being the woman your men actually want to stay with. Don’t worry about Daniel; the Hargrave men know quality when they get their hands on it.” I smiled broadly. “I guess he was just waiting for the right kind of woman, one worth admitting he was with.”
I spun on my heel and sashayed into the dressing room before signaling for help from the shop assistant, who was shiny eyed and giggling as she undid my dress.
“You looked so cool and calm out there, and you just told her off. You told her so good.” She snickered as she slid the dress down my body and I stepped out. Nonetheless, I’d lost my appetite for dress shopping and told the girl I’d need to come back and finish later. She seemed sympathetic as she penciled me in for a later date and I changed into my own clothes.
Outside, I let my feelings known as gently as I could for the sake of my poor mother. I texted Daniel and told him she’d found me. He promised to take care of it, but I asked him to leave it alone.
I didn’t tell him that the last thing I needed was for her to decide I was challenging her and actually try something with Daniel. After all, there wasn’t much he could do aside from ask her nicely to stop. That witch didn’t know the meaning of the word. I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to convince my mother that lilies weren’t only for funerals and laughing over absurd ideas for centerpieces that we found at the decorating stores and Tai Pan Trading Company.
I was more grateful than I could express when we finally pulled up in front of the big house just as Patty was ringing the dinner bell. Daniel looked surprised when I kissed him as long and deeply as I did when he greeted us at the door, but he knew better than to say anything about it. No matter how hard I tried to accept the good that had come into my life, there was always an ugly undercurrent to rip the peace and contentment out of my hands.
Once we were alone, Daniel finally made me aware of the lies and gossip that Sara had been spreading on Jason’s behalf, and the threats of a lawsuit against his family. I thought I would buckle and cry. I wanted to curl up in a ball and hide. But I had run out of tears, and they’d run out of ways to make me afraid. I made Daniel promise not to do anything to risk his livelihood or self-respect. Then I asked him to sleep in his own bed and leave me to mine. I needed time to think and didn’t want my inevitable tossing and turning to keep him awake. I could see that he was upset by my request, but he let me kiss him goodnight and left without a fight.
I wasn’t sure how to proceed, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to let either our respective past lovers, or the ugly contamination of both of them together, steal our joy or our love. Texas Tango was now the crown jewel of the Hargrave empire. Verica would race him better than anyone could expect, I knew it in my bones. I wasn’t going anywhere. Not when we were so close to ushering in a new era for both our families and Lago Colina.
I plotted and made a decision around the knot in my stomach. I wouldn’t tell Daniel. He would never agree. But, I wouldn’t handle it alone. I laid my head on my pillow and fell into the deep sleep of one who has made up her mind, for better or worse, without fear of the consequences. Though, the action I had to take scared me a little.
I knew in the end Daniel’s dreams were too important for me to not do anything at all. And, if I dreamed of Daniel in the embrace of another, no one could blame me. The woman was a virus; she infected everything she touched.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Daniel
I texted Jackson before I went to bed. I would help him get anything he needed to take Sara out of the picture forever. I tossed and turned on top of the covers, too angry and worried that my anxiety-ridden love would bolt this time to sleep. Sleep must have won the fight eventually, but in the morning, I felt like I’d been run over by stampeding mustangs.
My brothers and I went for a ride together, and Jackson explained how to get Sara to talk on his video. To me, it seemed like science fiction from comic books, to get her talking about her double life and have him record it from a distance, but he promised he could make it work without me having to wear a wire like a cop movie cliché.
I texted Sara, using what Rachel had told me as an excuse to talk in person. She immediately agreed, and her reply was so instantaneous and positive that I wondered if she’d already figured me out. I made up a reason for all of us brothers and Caleb to go into Austin, and even Rachel seemed happy that we were including Caleb as family and take him with us on our outings. Caleb didn’t say a word, just shrugged and climbed into the truck before anyone could see the worried look on his face. I thought to the day before; the kid obviously took after his honest and guileless mother.
I noticed Tracy and Freddie acting suspicious as they stood by their car, but I chalked it up to my own paranoia that the fa
mily was going to figure out the stupid and childish thing we were about to do and ignored the itch between my shoulder blades that warned me of trouble.
I had suggested to Sara that we meet at a café down the street from her condo where we used to get breakfast after I’d spent the night with her. She readily agreed, and I made certain that we dropped off the younger guys around the corner so they had time to set up shop. The cloak and dagger made me feel like an idiot, but I reminded myself that Rachel was worth the embarrassment and the bad taste the encounter would leave with me.
Sara was either over or underdressed, depending on your point of view. She looked like she’d been to a party and not gone home yet, her dress cut low in the front and high on the thigh, leaving little to the imagination. She sat at a table not ten feet from Jackson and failed to recognize him in his daily uniform of the nerd: a graphic tee under a button down shirt with a newsboy cap and cargo shorts. Geek chic, Rachel had teased him. The only thing he was missing, according to her, was a pair of Vans to round out his look.
Caleb sat with him and even to me, it looked like they were playing an engrossing video game on the café internet connection. I strode toward Sara, rubbing my damp palms on my jeans again. She posed for me when she realized I was watching her, tossing her hair back over her shoulder with practiced nonchalance, arching an eyebrow and refusing to look up until my shadow blocked the sunlight that was shining in the window across her side of the table.
“Well, hello, stranger,” she drawled, looking up at me over the menu she’d been perusing. “I wonder why you suddenly had the urge to get a hold of me.” She smirked. I pulled out a chair and sat, choosing my words before I spoke.
“You need to leave Rachel alone,” I spat out, angrier than I thought I was, once I was looking her in the eye. “I don’t know what is wrong with you, but you take it elsewhere because enough people, have enough dirt on you to ruin you.” She blinked long and slow, then took a deep breath.
“This is not the conversation I thought we’d be having,” she purred. Her menu fell to the table and she leaned forward, giving me an even better view of what she thought were her best assets. “I don’t know what you think I would want with that skinny little—” I cut her off before she could finish.
“No. Enough, Sara. I already have enough information from enough people that I could expose every dirty little secret you think you keep so well.” I sighed. “Speaking of which, does Daddy know you’re sleeping with his married best friend? Would he think that’s good for business?” She turned scarlet and hissed at me. “I won’t stoop to your level unless you make me. I have enough respect for myself not to engage in the games you play. But, if that is what it will take for you to leave my family alone, then I will burn you.” I spread my hands on the table. “So, what’s it going to be?”
“You think you know me? Well, you don’t. You have no idea what it takes to survive in my world,” she snapped, then glanced around to make sure no one heard her.
“You chose your world. I’m sure he wasn’t the first, but you had a man who loved you in Tuck. What you did to him is unconscionable. Now you’re following Rachel into wedding shops? Are you insane, or just that desperate for attention? Everyone sees you for what you are: a selfish opportunist who is always looking for the next income tax bracket to move up.” I scowled at her. A moment later, the dying embers of my rage turned to shame as her face crumpled and she began to cry.
“I don’t care what you think of me. I have my own problems, and I don’t care about you or your family.” She sniffed, as I waved the waitress away. “I don’t want to be with anyone but Jason, but Carl is threatening to tell Jason everything if I try to stop seeing him.” I huffed out a breath and rubbed my eyes.
“Good God, girl. What were you thinking? You need to suck it up and take the hit, get rid of him once and for all. While you’re still young, and people will be looking at him for taking advantage of you.” She sniffed again and sipped at her espresso drink.
“I just can’t lose Jason,” she admitted. “I know he’s, as you put it, the perfect income tax bracket, but that’s not it. I am myself around him, and he still wants me. How is someone like me going to find that again?”
“Yeah, that brings me to point two of this little visit. You need to know that whatever Jason told you about Rachel, there’s another side to it.” I tried to be careful enough that she didn’t get up and walk away before she heard what I had to say.
“Like what, exactly? That she’s a prude who can’t stand to have fun isn’t the whole story?” She snorted. “I had deduced that for myself, thanks.”
“Seriously, Sara. Has he ever been…” I cleared my throat. “Has he ever been rough with you?” She flinched, which told me more than her sniff and head shake to the negative.
“Every man becomes less of a gentleman when he drinks, Daniel, even you.”
“I’ve never left a bruise on any woman. No matter how ‘rough’ it gets,” I admonished. “You know what I’m talking about. He scarred her pretty badly, and it wasn’t just the car accident. I just want you to watch your back. We may not be friends, but I don’t want to see anyone turned into a punching bag. Trust me, it’s not worth the money.”
“Spoken like a man who has never gone without. This conversation bores me, and for an engaged man, you certainly seem concerned with keeping me single.”
I sighed and shook my head. “Whatever, Sara. Just leave us alone. No more rumors, no more ‘concerned letters’ to faculty.” Her face showed genuine surprise. “Yes, I know all about your attempt to have Rachel expelled. You’re lucky I don’t hit women, because you deserve it for that.” I pushed my hat onto my head and stood.
“You’re damn lucky Edith Green is too intelligent for your childish pranks. Rachel is lucky to have an administrator who took the time to actually know what kind of person she is. Never again,” I growled leaning on the table. “Am I understood?” She swallowed and nodded and I pivoted on one boot toward the door. I looked back over my shoulder and she was still watching me, her eyes sad and shining wetly in the sunlight.
“I guess this is goodbye, Daniel,” she said, blinking away the tears.
“Just take care of yourself,” I replied, and tipped my hat in a goodbye. Jackson gave me a thumbs up from the table behind her and both boys escaped out the door behind them. When I met them at the truck, Caleb offered me his hand.
“I wanted to protect my sister, but I’m real glad you took the high ground. It wouldn’t have been right to do to her what she was doing.”
I nodded and let them in the truck. As far as I was concerned, the matter was closed. Now I just had to figure out what to do about Rachel’s ex, who was still in the hospital and out of reach of my fists.
Rachel wasn’t answering texts, which I assumed meant she was getting to go and enjoy a ride with the girls or my mother had cornered her about the wedding. I felt a stab of guilt that we hadn’t just eloped and avoided all the mess that had been dumped in our laps. But, she had agreed to marry my stupid ass, and I was going to see it through, no matter who tried to stop us.
Rachel was with my mother on the veranda when I pulled up, watching us as the gravel dust settled. The other two took off and left me to explain where we’d been and what we’d been up to, but before I could even begin to form an excuse, my mother stood, hugged me, and walked into the house, her face still blotchy from crying. I looked at the scared expression on Rachel’s face and feared the worst. She patted the empty cushion of the swing next to her and I sat sideways, my eyes never leaving her face.
“I have to tell you something that is not going to make you happy.” She was fidgeting with a manila folder in her lap and couldn’t look me in the face. I cleared my throat and leaned back out of her space as far as I could, waiting for the ax to fall.
“Okay, I’m listening, what do you have for me?” I hated the way she flinched at the tightness in my voice, but I kept still and waited for her to respond witho
ut reaching for her. She set the folder in my lap, but kept a hand over it so I couldn’t open it.
“I’m not going to lie or hide things from you. I need to tell you that when you went into town with the boys, I went to see Jason at the hospital.” I stiffened and blew out a hard breath.
“Okay. Is there a specific reason why you needed to?” I asked without adding the “without me” that rang out in my head.
“I needed to do this. For us.” She removed her hand from the folder and I opened it up. I felt dizzy and nauseated as I looked at the photos inside. I knew where each of the bruises photographed would have been on her body, just by the freckles and shades of her skin. They were all unique, as different as if they’d been paint strokes of yellow and purple, green and black, carelessly flung at a canvas. But the canvas was her flesh, and the fingerprints and knuckle-shaped bruises ruined the beauty of the canvas, they did not improve it.
“I took these to remind him that he hadn’t answered for some things he had done that were well within the statute of limitations, and at your father’s behest, made him aware that I could now match him in representation, since you would hire me the best lawyers and your brother works for the best firm in the state.”
She shut the folder with my hand still in it. I glanced over at her and the color had drained from her face and sweat beaded along her forehead.
“I’m sorry, Rachel. What can I do?” I asked, slipping my hand out of the pictures and taking hers instead. She sniffed back tears and smiled at me.
“I wasn’t going to let him try to sue you when he knew it was frivolous, just to waste your time and money, and maybe make it look like his driving drunk was your fault.” She traced on the back of my hand, following the veins and tendons.
“We’re family now, Rachel,” I reminded her. “We’ve been family since the day you kicked Cal Preston’s sorry ass.” She giggled and rubbed her knuckle at the memory.