“Oh! Good luck. Let me know how it goes. I promise, I won’t tell anyone.”
“’Kay, love you.”
“Me, too, bye.”
She put the phone away as she made her way over to the side of the corral where Ash stood. She removed the rings and placed them in her skirt pocket.
When she looked up, Ash was watching her from across the corral. His hat was pulled down low against the sun’s glare, so she couldn’t see his eyes very well. She smiled nervously and waved as she approached him.
“Hi. I brought you a snack. Teresa sent them for you.” She wondered if he could even hear her over the lump in her throat. He didn’t move from the spot where he stood, his boot hitched up on one of the pipe rails of the corral. He spoke indistinctly to the ranch hand, who led the energetic colt from the corral back to the barn.
Ash seemed tense as she approached, and she wondered if something had happened that morning to make him act this way. He was taking over duties as foreman for Angel. Maybe he needed to play it cool for the other ranch hands so they’d respect him. She could understand that, to a point.
She sidled close to him, and he took the paper sack she offered. He thanked her politely, looking out across the corral. No hug, no kiss, he didn’t even look into her eyes. Wasn’t this taking “playing it cool” a little far?
Nervously, she finally spoke when he said nothing else to her. “I–I have some news to share with you.”
“Oh, yeah?”
A chill swept from her tailbone to her neckline at his cool tone. “U–um, yeah.”
He looked down at the ground, so she couldn’t see his face. “You can save yourself the trouble, Juliana. I already know your news.”
Stunned, she looked at what she could see of his profile. “You already know? How? How could you know?” Doctor-patient privilege applied to her test results, but she knew that people gossiped. She couldn’t make the connection between the staff at Doctor Guthrie’s office and the Divine Creek Ranch. That couldn’t be it. The only other person who knew was Allen.
Ash quickly clarified for her. “You were overheard at Rudy’s. A hand was there while you were there. He told me what he heard.”
“Oh.” He did know. Her heart raced wildly. He wasn’t happy about her news. What did she say now?
“Seems you drew some attention to yourself.”
“Oh.” Damn it, was that all she could think of to say? Strong, mouthy Juliana had left the building evidently.
“It’s okay, Juliana. I understand how you must feel. But you gotta remember we never made any real commitments to each other. Just play it cool and do what you have to do.”
“I don’t understand.” Never in a million years would she have guessed that would be his reaction to news that she was pregnant.
“I already know your news. You don’t have to explain yourself. Take care of whatever yourself, and don’t worry about me. It’s not that big a deal, okay? You’ll be fine.”
Whatever?
Her voice shook a little and cold shivers swept over her skin. “But Ash, I needed to tell you. You needed to know how I feel.” This was her fault for putting off telling him the obvious. Clearly, he didn’t mean that he didn’t have feelings for her. She could see it in his eyes whenever he looked at her.
“I think I have a pretty clear picture of how you feel. I heard about your news in great detail. I don’t care. It’s obvious you and I don’t feel the same way about each other. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here telling me all this. Do what you have to do.”
A sob escaped from Juliana’s throat, and she unconsciously leaned her forehead against his triceps, which was stretched up so that his forearms rested on the top rail of the corral. “But I—Ash, you don’t understand. I love you,” she said in a shaky whisper, her fingertips brushing against his ribs.
The tension coiled in his muscles, and he stepped away from her, leaving her to wobble forward as he withdrew from her. She felt a fault line open in her chest at his hasty withdrawal.
“Then you’re even more confused than I thought, Juliana, if you can stand there and tell me that,” he spat out in a sarcastic tone. “That is not something I’ll ever be ready for, and I can’t believe you’d even think about it. I thought you knew me. I don’t share.”
He was angry because she’d hoped he would want to share a life with her and their baby. She couldn’t believe her ears. How had she so stupidly misjudged him?
The fault line quaked in her chest as she remembered his words after they’d had unprotected sex. He’d told her he would take responsibility for his actions. He’d lied. Not that she would’ve accepted it, but he didn’t even make the offer of paying for an abortion. As the thought slammed into her, anger came close on its heels, and a fierce, protective instinct inside of her roared to the surface.
“I came here to share the news with you. You already seem to know. So, I guess I’ve done what I came to do. Nice knowing you, cowboy.” She turned on her heel and walked back to the side door when realization slammed into her. She faltered a step but kept going, her head held high.
She didn’t realize how much she’d come to enjoy all his little endearments. Calling him cowboy reminded her that he usually responded in kind with city girl or darlin’.
Now she saw how meaningless all of that was to him. It was just part of his southern charm. He probably called the girl at the convenience store down the road darlin’. It meant nothing to him, just like she had meant nothing to him but an easy lay, just like the baby meant nothing. There were no endearments forthcoming now because she was an inconvenience.
Juliana nodded to Angel and Joaquin, who both bore surprised and concerned looks on their faces as they watched her pass. Realizing she must look like crap, she put her hands to her face and wiped away the deluge of tears that she had been unaware of until that moment. What useless things those tears were. They were wasted on him. He could go fuck himself if he thought she would treat this as casually as he did.
She buckled her seatbelt and started the Camaro. She drove down the long drive, remembering a far different reception the last time she’d driven down this driveway at Teresa’s wedding. By the time she made it back to town, depression and fatigue had taken hold.
Making an impulsive decision, she sat in her car and made three phone calls, to Doug Woodworth in Morehead, Leah and Evelyn at the store, and to Allen. She cried her eyes out through the last one, and Allen wanted to return to Divine and kick Ash’s sorry ass, but she told him it wasn’t worth it. Then she went inside and began packing her bags.
Chapter Nineteen
Ash held on to the pipe fence for dear life as his city girl turned on her heel and sashayed away from him, for the last time. It was on the tip of his tongue to stop her and get on his knees and beg her to stay, to choose him. But she’d made her feelings known, publicly. He couldn’t stop her if she’d already made a choice, one that unfortunately didn’t include him. Maybe this was why she’d held off telling him she loved him so long. She’d had something totally different in mind.
He heard footsteps approach. Shadows bracketed his as he continued looking down at the dusty ground, and then he heard Joaquin’s voice. “You okay, Ash?”
“Yeah, fine, why?” He tried to still the shakiness in his voice.
“Juliana just blew through the barn, looking devastated. She was crying.”
“Was she?” Was Joaquin exaggerating? The ranch hand who overheard her and that peace officer from Tillman had assured him she’d been ecstatic as he handed her an engagement ring. He’d told him she’d said, “Yes,” loud enough for the whole restaurant to hear.
If that was so, why would she be crying now? She’d told him she loved him. She must’ve been hoping for a ménage relationship like the other men had with Teresa. He knew he could never do it. Not with someone he’d known all his life, like Jack and the others had, and certainly not with a man he’d never met. His heart cratered a little more.
Ge
tting his attention back, Angel replied, “Yeah, she was very distressed.”
His throat closed over the words as he spoke them, needing to get away. “Well, you know how it is with Juliana. She’s a little on the hotheaded side. I’m sure she’ll be fine.” He chose to leave it at that.
“Well, okay,” Angel said uncertainly. “But if you need to go after her, let us know. She looked like she was really hurting.”
Did he have to twist the damn knife like that? “I’ll let you know. I’m sure she’ll be fine.”
“Okay,” Joaquin said, but there was a note of disbelief in his voice, and he sounded like he wanted to say more. They walked off, speaking quietly to each other.
The phone in his pocket rang, and his heart lurched, hoping it was her so he could apologize for being so harsh with her. But caller ID made him curse instead. This whole situation was now officially FUBAR. Fucked up beyond all recognition.
* * * *
Teresa overheard the men’s conversation as they came in through the front door for lunch late that morning. “It wasn’t like him to allow her to leave like that,” Joaquin said.
“There’s probably more to it than what we saw. Maybe she needed time to cool off, and he knew that, so he let her go,” Angel replied.
“But did you see her face? I’ve got a strong suspicion that was no tantrum. If it had been Teresa, I wouldn’t have let her get behind a steering wheel.”
“Maybe he let her go in favor of not causing a scene. You remember what her temper is like?”
“Yeah.”
Teresa came from the hallway. “What’s the matter?” she asked as she was drawn into Angel’s embrace. After she’d greeted and kissed both men, they explained what they had seen to her.
The men went and sat down on the couch in the living room. Michael was sitting on the floor with a coloring book and crayons spread out. Teresa climbed into Joaquin’s lap when he reached for her, and she said, “Juliana came by here a little while ago. She looked tired, and she said she had to talk to Ash and mentioned something about decisions she needed to make.”
The men looked at each other with troubled expressions, and Angel said, “Well, when she left, it looked like she hadn’t gotten the reception she’d hoped for.”
Their conversation moved on to other topics as she put lunch on the table, but Juliana and her mysterious news stayed in the forefront of Teresa’s mind. After they finished, she kissed all three of her men, including Michael who was hanging on Angel’s back, before the three of them left to finish their work day.
Teresa had a sneaking suspicion she knew what was going on but was having a hard time putting it all together. Teresa knew Ash well enough by now to be certain that if Juliana were pregnant, he would be overjoyed. Ash was excellent father material, if she could judge by how he treated Michael when he hung around the barn. The more the news her husbands had shared with her rolled around in her head, the more it didn’t make sense.
Knowing she might be interfering in something that was none of her business, she picked up her phone. Teresa called Juliana’s cell and rolled straight to voice mail. She called Juliana’s home phone, and the answering machine picked up. Juliana wasn’t usually one to screen calls. Teresa called the store and talked to Evelyn. After hanging up, she was even more confused.
Evelyn told her that Juliana seemed upset the last time she’d talked to her. Juliana had said she was taking a short-term emergency leave of absence and that she planned to be gone only a week, two at the most. Juliana had offered no excuse or other information beyond an apology for the inconvenience.
“Juliana didn’t tell you where she was going? Did something happen at the store?”
“She didn’t tell me her destination. This morning the only thing out of the ordinary was her cousin inviting her to lunch at Rudy’s. Juliana said he was in town for a court appearance and had a surprise for her.”
“Hmm.”
“I’d call Allen, Teresa. He might know something.”
She sat with her phone in her hand, contemplating what she should do. She decided against calling Allen just yet. Juliana was a big girl. Maybe their talk had nothing to do with the conclusion she was jumping to and she’d only embarrass herself if she stepped in without all the facts.
* * * *
Dressed in a pair of ancient, faded blue jeans and a fuzzy peach-colored sweater, Juliana pulled into the parking lot of The Dancing Pony. She wasn’t dressed to come in for the party. Her favorite comfort clothes made the prospect of making happy with the other employees then facing the long drive ahead of her a little easier to bear. She’d remained in town only long enough to drop off the decorations and gifts for the party early that evening.
She put a smile on her face so they’d all think she was merely leaving for an impromptu vacation. Lifting the shopping bag and cardboard box, she carried it all in, thanking the man who held the door open for her. Barbara’s car was in the parking lot, so Juliana knew she was already there setting the tables up for the party. The others wouldn’t be off for another half hour.
Two bubbly-sounding women came in right behind her, chattering as they passed her in the entrance to the club. Waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dim light, Juliana finally spotted Barbara, talking to one of the waitresses in the corner closest to the entryway and made a beeline for her.
The music was pounding, and there were quite a few customers already there, many of them sitting at tables or dancing. Barbara waved as she approached and came to help her with her load.
“Barbara, but I’m not going to stay. I’m headed out of town tonight.”
“You are? Everything okay?” Barbara asked, scrutinizing her face.
“Yes. I’m just overdue for a vacation,” she replied with what she hoped passed for nonchalance.
“I’ll say. You’ve been looking tired,” she said with a maternal tone. “When was the last time you took a vacation? It’s been years, hasn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I’d say you’re due. Where are you going?”
“I’d rather not say. My cell phone is turned off. If anybody needs to reach me, they can call Evelyn.”
“I understand completely. I hope it’s a cruise or a hot island getaway.”
“Nothing that grand. Just time to rest and think.” And make plans for her and her baby’s future.
“Taking that handsome cowboy with you?” Barbara asked as she gestured across the room, and then she frowned and tilted her head.
Juliana looked in the direction Barbara had indicated. Her heart turned to ice in her chest, and every muscle in her body locked down. She took a breath, and the fault-line in her chest cracked a little wider.
Ash sat with his back to her at a table on the other side of the club. His hat was still on, and his back was turned, but she recognized that powerful physique. She’d memorized it with her eyes, her lips, and her tongue, every part of her in fact, and she would’ve known him anywhere.
The two bubbly women who’d come in behind her had just joined his table, where two other women sat with him. They were all talking at once, sweet commiseration and love on their faces. One of them jostled his arm, laughing. He turned to her and kissed her cheek and let her hug him.
Another one pulled his hat from his head and put it on her own before she kissed his cheek. She was awfully young-looking and beautiful, as they all were, and Juliana knew she could never hold up in comparison. The young one took her chair again, and Juliana counted four women at his table once they were all seated around him.
A weird, creepy-crawly sensation swept over her skin as adrenaline dumped into her system. That fierce protectiveness swelled inside her again, even as her heart broke. This was how long it took him to get back in the “swing” of things. That’s how much her declaration of love meant to him.
At the slightest hint of adversity, he turned and ran, straight into someone else’s arms. She watched as another of the women rose from her seat and pul
led him from his and they stepped on the dance floor. The tingling sensation continued, and Juliana knew it probably wasn’t good for the baby to be experiencing her nerves and emotionally upset state, nor was it wise to react like this with Barbara standing there observing.
She glanced at Barbara, and sympathy was all she saw. “No, Barbara. I’m spending some time alone. If you don’t mind, I’m taking off, though.” Juliana turned and headed back to the entryway, keys in hand. She greeted Eli and Rachel Wolf mechanically as they entered when she exited. Her false smile felt too bright and fake as she told them she was fine.
* * * *
Teresa walked in the door of The Dancing Pony, and Rachel beckoned her over. “Have you talked to Juliana lately?”
The gut feeling Teresa had been having all day intensified. “Yes, why?”
“Well, she left here a few minutes ago, barely even saying hello to us. Then we spotted that when we came in,” Rachel muttered as she pointed a finger at Ash and the four women seated with him at his table, looking like she was ready to open a fresh can of whoop-ass on somebody.
Eli turned to Teresa. “Did something happen we haven’t heard about yet?”
Teresa replied, “No, but I’m going to find out. Now. This is all very strange.”
Teresa found Barbara and asked if Juliana had said anything to her about leaving town. Barbara gave her the details on what happened earlier. Teresa took out her cell phone and excused herself, more and more convinced that something terribly convoluted had happened today. She couldn’t put her finger on it but knew someone who could help her do that.
Rachel stood outside with her while she dialed the number.
“Allen? Hi, it’s Teresa. Thank you, I’m fine. Listen, this isn’t a social call, so I need to get to the point. Have you talked to Juliana this afternoon? What is going on?”
Teresa could tell that Rachel overheard his responses, and as they put two and two together, Rachel grew visibly angrier She started to walk back into the club, but Teresa gently grasped her wrist and looked up at her as she listened to Allen’s agitated voice, shaking her head negatively.
Box Set: The Divine Creek Ranch Collection, Volume 2 [Book 4 - Rosemary's Double Delight (MFM), Book 5 - Spurs and Heels (MF)] (Siren Publishing Romance Collection) Page 37