by Barbara Gee
Will rolled over so that Kelly was the one lying flat and he was on his elbows above her.
“I hated this week, too,” he said softly. “Say it again. The love part, I mean.” He smiled crookedly, his beautiful blue eyes glinting. “I’m not sure I’m quite convinced.”
Kelly reached up and pushed her fingers into his soft, sun brightened hair. “I love you, Will. I’m done fighting it and I don’t want to let anything come between us again. I just want to love you.”
His intense blue gaze seared through her, making her heart pound and her body come alive beneath him.
A slow smile curled his lips. “Do that, baby. Just love me. And I’ll love you back. And we’ll forget about this awful week and move forward, and not let anything tear us apart. Deal?”
She nodded, smiling through her tears. “Deal.”
“I love you, Kelly,” he whispered before claiming her lips with his.
Inside the kitchen, from her vantage point at the window above the sink which looked out over the backyard, Sarah allowed herself a short but very satisfied smile.
Chapter 31
“Mom?” Will called, resisting the urge to slam the door behind him as he entered the kitchen.
“I’m in the den, sweetheart,” Diana called back.
Will made his way down the hall and found her at her desk.
“What a nice surprise, Will. I’m just answering some emails. Would you like me to make you a fresh pot of coffee? I made your favorite cookies this morning, hoping you’d drop in soon. It seems like ages since I’ve seen you.”
“No coffee, Mom, and no cookies.” He lowered himself into the chair facing her desk. “We need to talk.”
She studied him, her light blue eyes worried as they searched his face. Soon understanding dawned and the worry changed suddenly to anger.
“She told you, didn’t she?” Diana said scathingly.
“You should have told me, Mom,” Will said levelly, fighting to stay calm. “You should have come and talked to me directly if you had concerns about Kelly and me. I’ve made it perfectly clear how I feel about her, and you never said a word. But I realize now you’ve worked against her all along. Every time I suggested we get together so the family can get to know her you found an excuse. And I was too blind to see it, because it never occurred to me that my mother would choose to work behind the scenes to sabotage my relationship instead of sitting down to discuss it.”
“I was only looking out for my son, Will. You know I’ll do anything for you, even if it’s unpleasant. I could tell that first day you brought her here that you’d fallen hard for her, but I was so sure you’d come to your senses once she was gone. But she wouldn’t stay away. Don’t you see, Will, she’s just biding her time, sinking her claws into you deeper and deeper, until you’re willing to leave everything and everyone you love to stay with her, just like Jamie did.”
“You know nothing about it, Mom. You know nothing about her.”
Diana waved a hand dismissively. “I know she doesn’t feel as strongly as you do. To be honest, considering she moved all the way down here for the summer, I expected her to fight me harder about leaving you alone, but she actually caved quite easily. I’m sorry if she hurt you, darling, but Kelly Matherson is not to be trusted. You’re well rid of her.”
“Oh I’m not rid of her,” Will corrected. “In spite of your best efforts, I’m more with her than ever.”
“What did she do, come crying to you about your mean old mother?” Diana asked bitterly. “Get you to feel sorry for her? That girl spins a good line, but she is bad news, Will. She’s not nearly good enough for you.”
Will shook his head. “Mom,” he said, his voice dangerously soft. “I’m trying real hard to stay calm, but if you say one more negative thing about Kelly I’m going to go off and probably say a lot of things I shouldn’t.”
Diana clamped her mouth shut, but her eyes showed her own anger and hurt.
Will took a breath in through his nose and exhaled through his mouth, fighting for control. “Kelly didn’t come crying to me, Mom, although I wish she would have. I’ll tell you what she did do though. She broke up with me and refused to see me, and no matter how I begged, she wouldn’t tell me why. And do you know why that was? Because she was trying to protect our relationship--yours and mine. Ironic, isn’t it, considering you accused her of just the opposite? But thanks to your friend Charlene’s big mouth and the town gossips, I found out what happened anyway.”
Diana frowned and shifted in her chair, but offered no response to Will’s revelation.
After a brief pause, he continued. “Thankfully, Kelly and I have cleared up the matter of Lindsay and the plans you and Charlene hatched, and now you and I need to get a few things straight.”
“I only did what I thought was best, Will,” Diana protested. “I love you, son, more than anything! Until you have a child of your own, you can’t even imagine how much I love you.”
“I think I can, Mom. I have James, and even though I’ve only known him for a few months, I already love him more than I would have ever thought possible.”
“It’s not the same. I’ve loved you for twenty-five years!”
“And yet you think Lindsay McCallum is my dream girl!” Will all but shouted. “You might love me, Mom, but you obviously don’t know me very well.”
“Of course I do! Will, think about it. Lindsay is one of us. She knows our family, our way of life, our town. She’s perfect for you, you just need to spend more time with her. Give her a chance to show you.”
“I’ve spent lots of time with her, Mom. I even tried the girlfriend thing out a few years ago. We dated for a while, hell I even slept with her a few times. Then she went back to school and resumed sleeping with half the frat boys on campus. And you know what, Mom? I didn’t even care. I knew what she was doing, but it didn’t bother me in the slightest, because I didn’t feel that way about her, not even a little. We’re friends and that’s it. Nothing will change that, nothing will make me feel love instead of friendship for her. Not you, not Charlene, not Lindsay herself.”
“But she’s home for good now, Will. She’s ready to settle down and I know for a fact it’s you she wants. If you’d just give it another try!”
“Are you so sure it’s me she wants, Mom? Is it me, or is it how I look and my trust fund? Do you honestly think Lindsay would stick around if I was disfigured in an accident, or lost all my money? I want you to really think about that, Mom, and give me an honest answer.”
Diana pressed her lips into a thin line. “And you’re so sure Kelly Matherson would?”
“There’s not a doubt in my mind. She loves me, Mom. It’s not about me being an accessory for her, and she doesn’t even know I have a lot of money.”
Diana’s tone became placating. “I can understand you being drawn to her, Will, she’s a very pretty girl, but you’ve only known her a few months. I think you’re being impulsive and you’re risking your chance with Lindsay for something that may be exciting for now, but won’t last.”
Will stood and threw up his hands. “Listen to yourself, Mom!” he demanded, trying to keep from shouting again but only halfway succeeding. “You’re trying to convince me that I’d be better off with a girl who wants nothing more than a pretty-boy on her arm and a big bank account. Come on, Mom, this is Lindsay we’re talking about! She’s just like her mother and you know better than anyone how miserable Charlene has made her own husband. How many acres has he had to sell off over the years to pay for her extravagant spending? Land that has been in his family for generations is gone because Charlene needed a new house or a new Mercedes or a new diamond necklace? And you’ve heard how she talks to him, how she picks at him for everything from gaining weight, to going bald, to saying the wrong thing and embarrassing her. Is that really what you want for me, Mom? Do you want me to end up trapped and miserable? Because that’s exactly how it would be if I married Lindsay!”
Diana looked stricken. “Of
course that’s not what I want, Will, but Charlene doesn’t mean to be difficult--”
“She does mean it!” Will interrupted. “She’s a cold, selfish bitch and for the life of me I can’t understand why you’re friends with her. For a smart woman, you sure do have blinders on where Charlene is concerned.”
“But Lindsay isn’t Charlene,” Diana said weakly.
Feeling like he was beating his head against a wall, Will switched tactics.
“Okay, Mom, tell me why you’re so convinced Lindsay would make me happy. Besides the fact that she grew up in Tallock County and knows a little bit about ranching.”
“She’s, um, very sweet.”
“When it suits her purposes, but trust me, I’ve seen her when things aren’t going her way, and it’s not a pleasant sight. She can be sweet as sugar, or a total witch. Just like her mother.”
“She truly does love ranch life.”
“As long as it provides the lifestyle she expects. Again, I see her as way too much like her mother. How long would Charlene stick around if Leo’s ranch were to fail? Would she stick it out and work to turn things around? You know the answer to that is a resounding no, and you also know Lindsay would be no different. Eli, Emmet, and Travis have threatened me with bodily harm if I ever even considered bringing Charlene’s daughter into this family, and yet you have the nerve to tell Kelly that they all love Lindsay! Where did you get such a crazy idea?”
Diana reached for a tissue with a shaky hand. She dabbed at her eyes and then blew her nose delicately. “I thought—Charlene said—she was just so sure,” she broke off and shook her head. “I don’t know, Will, maybe I haven’t considered everything.”
“You’ve been aiding and abetting a woman who is determined to find a suitable man for her daughter no matter the cost. Charlene decided a long time ago that man is me, and you’ve gone along with it because it was fun and she made it sound oh so perfect. You could plan a wedding together and share grandchildren. But what about me, Mom? It’s my life you’re plotting out, my life you’re interfering with. And if you would just allow yourself to look at it without the taint of Charlene’s influence, there’s no way you could think I’d ever be happy with Lindsay McCallum. There’s no way, Mom.”
Wiping her eyes again with a fresh tissue, Diana remained silent, refusing to meet his eyes. Will could tell she was finally thinking about what he’d said, so he let the silence go on for several minutes.
“Mom,” he said finally, sitting back down and reaching across the desk to take one of her hands in his. “Why would you want me to settle for a woman like Lindsay, when I could be with one who loves me the way you love Dad?”
His mother looked at him then, saw the hurt and confusion in her son’s blue eyes, and she dropped her head and sobbed.
Chapter 32
“Hello?” Kelly answered her phone, a huge smile lighting her face because she knew Will’s voice was about to fill her ear.
“Hey, whatcha doing?”
“Just left the school, heading home. How about you?”
“Finishing up here at TC, then I’m going over to Eli and Erin’s for dinner. I know it’s short notice but Erin just called and asked if you and James would like to join us. They’re itching to meet you.”
“Well they’ll meet us on Saturday, at your mom’s dinner. Which I’m still extremely nervous about, in case you didn’t know.”
“I know you are, but trust me, Mom is coming around and she wouldn’t dare make you feel uncomfortable in any way. I’ve told Erin a little bit about what Mom put you through and she thought it would be nice if you could at least meet her and Eli and the kids before Saturday when the whole family gets together. That way it won’t be all new faces and James will already have made some friends.”
Kelly smiled. “That’s so sweet of her. We’d love to come. We can come over to your place and go from there, so you don’t have to make a special trip to pick us up.”
“Sounds good. Will six thirty work?”
“It will. See you then.”
“Can’t wait.” He paused for a second. “You know something, Kelly? I love my horses and I love what I do for a living, I really do. But hands down, you and James are the best part of my day.”
Kelly smiled, so grateful to have him in her life. “You always make my day, Will. Every day. See you soon.”
As soon as Kelly got home she let Sarah know she and James wouldn’t be there for dinner. It had been a week and a half since Sarah’s monumental intervention in their lives, and her daily demeanor hadn’t changed a bit. It was okay, though. Sarah had shown she cared when they needed it most, and except for the one big hug Kelly just couldn’t help but give her the next day, Kelly was willing to let the cook resume her distance.
James was excited about meeting some other kids. Will had told her that Eli’s daughter was a year older than James, and his son a year younger. Kelly hoped the three of them would get along, since kids his own age was the one thing James had been lacking since coming to the ranch.
Dressed in a clean tee shirt and shorts, James sat in the living room, waiting impatiently for Kelly to get ready. She chose a powder blue cotton skirt that fell a few inches above her knees, and a crisp white sleeveless blouse. Some random silver bracelets and white cork soled wedges finished off the cool, casual look, and Kelly hoped it was appropriate. She left her hair loose and wavy, because she knew that was how Will preferred it.
“Okay, Jimmy James. We’re out of here. Go kiss Grammy and Paw Paw goodbye. They’ll probably be in bed by the time we get home.”
A few minutes later they were in the car, headed for Will’s.
“You look pretty, Mom,” James said sweetly, bouncing excitedly in his seat.
“Thank you, James,” she said, reaching over to ruffle his hair.
“Will thinks you’re pretty, too. He told me so. He said he thinks you’re the prettiest girl in the world.”
“He did, huh? Well that was very nice of him.” Even second hand, the compliment warmed her.
“Mom, are you and Will gonna get married?”
Kelly chuckled. “We don’t know yet, James. Marriage is a pretty big deal, so we need to make sure we know each other well enough before we decide.”
“But do you think you will?” he persisted.
“Maybe, James. I really don’t know yet.”
“Well if you did, do you think Will would let me call him Dad instead of Will? Cuz I don’t remember my dad who died and I’ve never been able to call anyone Dad.”
Kelly swallowed hard. “Does that mean you wouldn’t mind if I did decide to marry Will?”
“I hope you do,” James said wistfully. “I love Will, even more than Uncle Chad and Stephan and Tyler and Todd.”
“Well that’s saying something,” Kelly said, smiling over at her little boy. “He loves you, too, you know.”
“So can you ask him to marry you just as soon as you make sure you know him well enough?”
“Well, usually it’s the guy who asks the girl, James.”
“But I saw a movie one time and the girl was the one who asked the boy if he would marry her.”
Kelly nodded. “That happens sometimes. But I think I’d like it better the other way around.”
James sighed. “Okay. But I hope Will asks you to marry him soon. Then I’ll have a dad and we can stay here forever.”
Kelly had to admit that sounded like a real good plan. “I promise I’ll tell you right away if we decide to get married, James. But it’s not really appropriate to talk about personal things like that in front of other people, so let’s just keep this between us for now, okay?”
“Okay. But if he asks do you promise you’ll say yes?”
“I promise to do what I think is best, James, for all of us. That’s the best answer I can give you right now.”
“There’s Dodger!” James exclaimed as they pulled up to Will’s little log home.
Kelly was glad for the distraction the dog
provided. She wanted James to feel free to ask her about anything that was on his mind, but sometimes the answers weren’t easy. Hopefully she’d managed to satisfy his curiosity, for the time being at least.
However, talking about marrying Will had made her even more anxious to see him, and she practically ran from the car to his front door, hoping to catch him alone for a few minutes while James was preoccupied with the dog.
She tapped lightly on the door then went in, grinning when she saw Will coming down the short hallway, freshly showered and still barefoot, with his navy shirt unbuttoned.
“Hey you,” she said breathlessly, practically launching herself into his arms.
“Hey back at ya,” he said, lifting her off the floor and pressing his face into the curve of her neck and shoulder. “Mmmmm, you smell incredible.” He kissed along her neck, nipped her earlobe to make her shiver, then claimed her mouth in exactly the kind of hot, wet kiss she was craving.
Kelly put her hands under the open edges of his shirt and ran them up over his warm, well-muscled chest, covered in just the right amount of soft hair that trailed off into a line, disappearing into the low waistband of his jeans. Was there anything about the man that wasn’t perfect?
Will’s inhale was a hiss as her hands traced back down over his pecs to his hard, flat stomach.
“I take it you’re glad to see me,” he murmured, sucking on her full bottom lip.
“Mmm hmm. Very glad. But James will be in in a second, so this,” she gave him one more hard kiss, “will have to do for a while.”
He chuckled and reluctantly released her. “I should have known. The only times you let yourself go like this is when you know we’ll be interrupted before we can get carried away.”
She grinned up at him. “That’s because it’s way too easy for me to get carried away with you.”
“Well just so you know, you have my permission to run in here and jump me any time,” he teased. “I have no problem with that.”