Living With Lies Trilogy (Books 1, 2, and 3 of The Dancing Moon Ranch Series)

by Watters, Patricia

  "I already have," Rick said, his words seeming to make it a reality, "but I won't turn my back on her now. If she's determined to mess up her life then I'll be there to pick up the pieces."

  "Picking up the pieces might get her to marry you," Becca said, "but is that the kind of woman you want for a wife, someone who turns to drugs or drinking or sex to get through tough times? Sophie's been coming here each summer for years, and we all love her like she's part of the family, but that doesn't mean she'd make a good wife for you or mother for your children."

  Into Rick's mind came the image of Sophie sprawled across some nameless guy's lap with his mouth covering hers and his hands getting her ready for sex and her enjoying it, followed by the image of Sophie standing in front of him after the shower, challenging him to have sex with her. No love, just sex because she'd learned something bad about her step-mother. It was a sobering thought, Sophie turning to booze and men to resolve her problems.

  "Why is she so angry?" Becca asked. "Dad didn't say, only that she'd had a falling out with her parents and took off in her car and drove straight here. I might have expected that when she was a teenager and going through a rebellion against house rules, but she's long past that, and things always seemed to be good between her and her folks."

  Rick relayed to Becca what Sophie learned about Justine, and added, "Sophie's trying to come to terms with it but right now she's confused and vulnerable and needs me even though she doesn't realize it."

  "Actually, Rick, you need her to need you, because that might be the only way you'll get her," Becca said. "Take some advice from a big sister who cares. Find a woman who needs you because you make her feel things she's never felt before, and because she can't imagine life without you because you're the center of her world. That's the way I feel about Chase, and it didn't take a lifetime of knowing him to realize he was right for me. You have to ask yourself why, after knowing each other since you were children, Sophie doesn't feel about you the way you feel about her. Maybe it's just not meant to be a romantic relationship."

  Rick said nothing because Becca was right. He just couldn't seem to let that reality sink in.

  ***

  The following afternoon, when Sophie stopped by Rick's folks to talk to his step-mother, Jayne, about working at the ranch, she was surprised to find Rick at the house. His truck had been parked at the barn, so she thought he was there, but when he opened the door to her knocking, he gave no indication he was glad to see her, but simply stepped back for her to enter, then returned to sit on the couch in front of the coffee table, which was covered by a spread of textbooks, notebooks and papers. But before he returned to his studies, he eyed her with curiosity, and said, "Are you going somewhere?"

  "No, just here," Sophie replied. "Your mother took me shopping." She turned in a slow circle to display her black slacks and modest white jersey top and olive blazer with rolled-back cuffs in a contrasting shade of darker olive. "What do you think?"

  For a few moments Rick said nothing, just sat staring at her, brows gathered, a look of disquiet on his face. Then his gaze roamed the length of her and he said, "What do I think about what? The outfit? Or my mother taking you shopping?" There was a definite edge to his tone.

  "Both," Sophie replied. Uncertain whether to draw up a chair and sit down or remain standing and wait to see if she was welcome, she braced her hands on her hips and opted for the latter. After a few moments, when Rick still said nothing, she said, "Well?"

  "The outfit's fine," Rick replied. "At least you don't look like a hooker, which is surprising since it was my mother who took you shopping."

  Sophie felt her temper rise. "Why do you turn everything your mother does into a negative? She was trying to be nice to me because you and I are friends and she wants to please you. Is that so hard for you to understand?"

  "Most of the things my mother does are hard for me to understand," Rick said. "Do you plan to continue staying with her?"

  "For a while, yes. I actually enjoy being with her," Sophie replied. "We went to a little deli for lunch and then we went to a salon and had facials, and your mother was everything you believe she's not. She was actually more of a mother to me than Justine, who would never have taken me to have a facial. She's also like a mother to Kenny, who's having a hard time at home. She's helping him get caught up on school work through a summer program, and she gives him jobs around the gym and lets him use the equipment, which is good because he's only seventeen and he could be getting into a lot of trouble."

  "Yeah, I imagine staying with my mother works for him too," Rick said.

  Sophie was annoyed with Rick's continued hostility towards his mother, which didn't seem warranted. She was, after all, his mother, and she'd had nothing but kind and loving words about Rick. "You resent your mother because she lives with men, but she and Don are just like a married couple. Don is very sweet to her, doing things the average man wouldn't do, like helping her bring in the groceries and massaging her neck and shoulders after she'd been working out."

  "Yeah, I imagine he'd do that for free room, board and sex," Rick replied.

  "Look, I didn't come here to hash over your resentment towards your mother," Sophie said. "I came to talk to your folks about working on the ranch. Do you know where they are?"

  Rick shrugged. "My dad's at the winery and Jayne and Becca are across the way with Aunt Grace. Incidentally, you might want to go over there and tell everyone hello. They're wondering why you haven't. I didn't want to pass on to them that since you arrived you've been too drunk to communicate." He went back to what he was doing, as if she weren't there.

  "Not everyone's perfect like you," Sophie shot back, then immediately wanted to retract her words. Rick had never held himself out to be perfect, yet of all the men she'd ever known, he was about as perfect as a man could be. She'd never really thought of him that way before, but Rick had always used his head when making decisions. She tended to act on impulse. She also felt the first stab of remorse for her actions, not for leaving California after learning about Justine's seedy past, but because Rick looked at her differently now. Actually, he didn't seem to notice her at all and that bothered her more than she might have expected. She'd always been the focus of his attention when she visited the ranch, and she took it for granted.

  "I'm far from perfect," Rick said, "but when things gets tough, I'll never turn to pot, booze or sex to solve the problem."

  Sophie said nothing, but as she stared at Rick, who was looking steadily back at her, she saw in him a man who'd one day be the backbone of his family, who'd stay by his wife for better or for worse, in sickness and in health. A grown man now. Not Rick the boy she'd known over the years. He was also a man who’d choose carefully when selecting a wife, and in only two days, she'd shown him that Sophie Meecham was exactly what he didn't want. "Maybe it would be best for me to leave here and not come back," she said, testing.

  Rick sat back and folded his arms. "No, it would be best for you to go back to San Francisco and square things away with your family, and then come back."

  Sophie knew she couldn't do that, not right now. "You expect me to rush back to Justine and hug her and tell her it's okay that she had sex with her professor in order to become valedictorian, and it was fine that she slept with anyone and everyone to get where she wanted to go. How is that different from your mother living with a man she cares about, who also cares about her?"

  "My mother doesn't care about the guy she's with," Rick said. "All she wants from him is what's in his pants."

  Sophie didn't like Rick's straight talk. He'd never been like that with her before and it wasn't the way things should be with them, but she couldn't fault him either since she'd been the one to lay things out in words she never used. "You haven't been around your mother when she's with Don," she said, hoping he'd at least try to understand his mother, who Sophie found sweet, and very enjoyable to be with. "Unlike Justine and the men she slept with, your mother has nothing to gain by being with Don
. The problem with you is you're still angry and bitter because years ago, your mother did the unthinkable and left your father for another man," she added.

  The expression on Rick's face told her any further discussion about his mother was closed, and Sophie had no intention of challenging him. But while she was deliberating whether to leave, or wait for Jayne, the front door swept open, and Jayne stepped inside.

  Spotting Sophie, Jayne walked over and gave her a hug. Then she stepped back, holding both of Sophie's hands at arm’s length, and said, "You look wonderful, honey, and now you've graduated from college and you look like a young business woman. I love the outfit."

  Sophie glanced at Rick, who’d returned to his books, then said to Jayne, "I'm glad someone does." When Rick didn't acknowledge her remark, she knew all the feelings he once had for her had died. Yet, when she'd selected the outfit, she'd had him in mind, hoping he'd view her as he had before, with affection and appreciation. Now, all he felt was disgust.

  Jayne's gaze shifted between Rick and Sophie, then she looked at Sophie, and said, "Honey, I know you've had a falling out with your parents, and I don't intend to lecture you or interfere in any way because you're the one who has to sort through it and come to terms with it, but until you do, you're welcome to help me with the ranch guests. It would give you some experience in business to add to your resume, and with Adam and Emily's wedding coming in less than a month, you could help with that too."

  Sophie always felt deep affection for Rick's stepmother, and for his dad, and Aunt Grace and Uncle Jack, and Grandma Maureen. Actually, she'd felt affection for everyone at the ranch, including the pack of Hansen boys who kidded her like she was their sister, and for Maddy who was a gem of a little girl, who was also the heart of her six big brothers' affectionate teasing, and the apple of her daddy's eye. Over the years she'd wanted to be a member of a big happy family like theirs, and she'd told Rick early on that she wanted lots of children someday, but made no commitment as to who the father would be.

  "Honey?" Jayne said, when Sophie didn't respond.

  "Oh, sorry. I was a little distracted," Sophie replied. "And yes, I'd love to help with the wedding. When should I start?"

  "Anytime," Jayne replied. "You're welcome to stay with us until Grandma Maureen returns from visiting her brother. I know she'd love to have you with her. Until then, Rick won't mind sleeping on the couch." She looked at Rick and waited for his response.

  Rick glanced up and shrugged. "That's fine," he said, then went back to studying.

  Sophie started to say, don't put yourself out on my account, but said instead, "I'm okay where I am." Rick never looked up, but Sophie saw the disgusted look on his face.

  Jayne gave Sophie anther hug, and said, "I have to round up the ranch guests and lead them to the barn for a trail ride, but when you're ready to start work, come over to the lodge and we'll take it from there." Jayne let herself out through the kitchen.

  Sophie was about to leave too, when she glanced out the front window and saw a truck pull up and was surprised to see Buzz Newman get out. He stood with his hands on his hips looking at the house for a few moments then started toward it.

  Hearing footsteps on the front porch, Rick glanced up from what he was doing and went to the door. Finding Buzz standing there, he said, "What do you want, Newman?"

  "I'm looking for Sophie," Buzz replied, "Your mother told me she was here."

  "She's not here to you," Rick said.

  Buzz raised his palms outward in a kind of submissive gesture, and said, "Look, Hansen, I'm not here to cause trouble, I just want to see Sophie. And I'm not the wild guy I was in high school. The party was kind of a get-together for old time sake, but we're all beyond that now."

  "So, what do you want with Sophie?" Rick asked.

  "To take her to dinner tonight to show her I'm not the guy at the party. We were all a little too high," he admitted, "but it was all in fun."

  "Yeah, I suppose a guy like you would view it as fun," Rick said, remaining standing in the doorway, while making no attempt to move aside.

  Buzz glanced beyond Rick and saw Sophie, and said to her, "Hey Sophie. Can we talk on the porch?"

  Before Sophie could respond, Rick said, "She's here with me so you can just get back in your truck and be on your way."

  Buzz's eyes shifted from Rick to Sophie, then back to Rick, and he said, with brows drawn, "Are you and Sophie an item?"

  Rick took so long to respond Sophie stepped forward, and said, "No, Rick and I are not an item." When Rick still said nothing, Sophie added, "And yes, I'd love to have dinner with you tonight. You can pick me up at Rick's mother's house."

  She was hoping Rick would say something, even go into big brother mode and forbid her to go, but he did nothing, just stood with his hands curved into fists at his side, and his jaws bunching, like he was either holding back a string of cuss words, or trying to keep from throwing a punch at Buzz. When he did neither, Sophie brushed past him without saying anything and went to her car.

  Buzz caught up with her, and said, "What's with you and Rick? He acts like a jealous husband."

  "That's just Rick," Sophie said. "It's a habit. He's been hovering over me for years."

  "Then you're okay with dinner tonight?" Buzz asked.

  Sophie glanced at the house and saw Rick standing on the porch, that same disgusted look on his face.

  He acts like a jealous husband...

  Oddly, she wanted him to be jealous. She wanted him to feel something for her again. But he looked as immovable as a mountain, and just about as indifferent.

  "Dinner would be nice," she said. "I'll see you around seven." Refusing to look at Rick again, she got in her car and drove off.

  ***

  "Son, you're going to wear a path in the rug," Sam said to Rick later that evening, as Rick made another pass across the living room. "She's a grown woman with a mind of her own so there's nothing you can do, and pacing the floor won't help."

  "I didn't tell you everything," Rick replied, pausing long enough to look at his father.

  "Then sit down and let's talk through it," Sam said. He dragged a kitchen chair away from the table and poured a mug of coffee for Rick and set it in front of the chair.

  Rick took a sip of coffee then set the mug down and went to stand in front of the window, hands on his hips, eyes focused on the night. "It's not just that she's out with Buzz," he said. "When I picked her up from the party, Buzz was pretty cocky when he said she was a hot little number and he wondered where I'd been hiding her. Buzz doesn't take hot little numbers to dinner without expecting payback, and with the kind of girls he dates he gets what he wants. With Sophie though, all he'll have to do is give her a drink or two and she'll be all over him."

  "You're overreacting," Sam said. "Lots of guys might jump to the conclusion that Sophie's a hot little number because she's blond and good looking, but she also has a solid set of morals, so she'll know when to put the skids on anything Buzz might try."

  His back to his dad, and his eyes still focused beyond the window, Rick said, "When I found Sophie at the party she was drunk and had been smoking pot and was draped all over a guy, and she didn't much give a damn where his hands were, which weren’t in his pockets." He turned then, and from the surprised look on his father's face, wondered if he'd revealed too much about Sophie. But he couldn't keep it all inside either, and his father had always been his sounding board, more so in his adult years than when he was a teen.

  "Sit down, Rick," Sam said. "We really need to talk this out."

  Sucking in a long breath to calm the erratic beating of his heart as the image of Sophie at the party replayed in his mind, for the umpteenth time, Rick lowered himself to the chair, wrapped his hands around the mug of coffee, and sat staring at it.

  Sam reached out and placed his hand on Rick's arm, and said, "Sophie's been coming to the ranch with her folks since she was five, and we love her like she's a member of the family. Well, she is a member in a s
ense, with her dad married to Aunt Grace's sister. I've also known how you've felt about her for as far back as I can remember, but when the people we love take a wrong path, they're the ones who let us down most, maybe because we do love them, so it hits harder."

  Still staring at his hands on the mug, Rick said, "Before she came this time I'd been looking at rings." Even though his gaze was on his hands, Rick could feel his father's eyes on him, and he didn't have to look up to know there'd be empathy there.

  "Then you and Sophie had been discussing marriage?" Sam asked.

  Rick shook his head. "Over the years we'd talked about what we wanted in marriage, and because she'd graduated from college and wasn't involved with anyone I thought maybe the time was right to start a relationship."

  Sam leaned toward Rick, and looking directly at him said, "If Sophie was drunk and smoking pot at the party, and letting a guy put his hands on her, you need to think about this seriously before you start chasing after her. Nothing can mess up a man's life more than a messed up wife, whether she's an alcoholic, or doing drugs, or cheating on him."

  "That's the problem," Rick said. "I know Sophie never did anything like this before. She's mad at her parents and she wants to get back at them."

  "She might not have done it before," Sam said, "but she's giving you a look at how she handles things. Learning her step-mother slept around would be troubling for any girl as sheltered as Sophie's been, but there are a lot worse things in life than that. Sophie taking off and driving six-hundred miles and turning to drugs and alcohol to deal with it is definitely a side of her none of us have seen."

  "I know," Rick said, in a glum voice. "I just don't know what to do about it."

  "Maybe it's not a good idea for her to work here right now," Sam said. "I can talk to Jayne about cutting things short so she has to return home. It would give you time to think things through without the distraction of having her around, and there's no question, having a woman you love around leaves you open to rationalizing anything and everything, even having sex with her. Although I know that's the last thing you intend to do with Sophie, the desire to make things complete often overrides good judgment."