by Ava Walsh
“Don’t worry about that,” Isabel insisted, but Sophie continued to cry.
“I don’t want you to go anywhere, Isabel. I like having you here and I can see that you’re good for daddy too.” Sophie was still crying when she flung her arms around Isabel and held her tightly.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Isabel said after a few seconds of thought. She bent down in front of Sophie and grabbed her chin. Sophie looked into Isabel’s eyes, her excitement was palpable.
“Do you mean daddy won’t send you off?” Sophie asked, a smile was beginning to form on her face and Isabel smiled too.
“No, he’s not,” Isabel said, looking Sophie in the eye.
“Why? I thought he was angry with me. I thought he didn’t want a new wife,” Sophie said, wiping her own tears now.
“He won’t because he’s in love with me,” Isabel revealed flatly and Sophie blinked at her. She wasn’t quite sure if she should have said it to the little girl. To Liam’s daughter of all people, but who else did she have to tell? She had seen it in Liam’s eyes. She had figured out the reason why he was so mad at her. It was because he was trying to deny it to himself that he was in love with her. It was because he didn’t believe in love at first sight, but it had happened to him just like it had happened to her too.
Chapter Sixteen
“I’ve left a plate of lasagna aside for you,” Isabel said when she opened the screen door. She found Liam sitting on the porch just as she’d expected, sitting where he had been the previous night. He was in his rocking chair, and smoking his pipe. He looked out into the darkness, following a trail of fireflies in the distance where his horses were.
“Thank you, but I’m not hungry right now,” he said without looking at her. Isabel wiped her hands on the apron she still had tied to her waist. She stared at the back of Liam’s head silently for a few moments, then she breathed in deeply and walked over to his side.
“You should know the truth. Just like I’ve found out the truth about you,” Isabel said. Without looking at him, she sat down on the wooden floorboards of the top step. She could feel his eyes on her back, but she didn’t dare to look at him. She wouldn’t be able to and also tell him what she was about to say.
Liam remained silent and she continued.
“I left New York because I wasn’t as successful as I thought I would be,” Isabel said, and then she turned her head to look at him.
“At your work?” he asked and she nodded silently.
“I worked for a fashion magazine. You might not be aware of it, but it is a highly competitive industry,” Isabel explained and bit down on her lip. She hadn’t spoken about this at all to anybody. She had simply packed her bags and left.
“You’re still young Isabel, I’m certain you have time to achieve what you want to achieve.” She heard his voice in the dark. She could see the glitter of his blue eyes staring at her, and she shied away from looking at him directly.
“No matter how hard I work… I won’t make it big. Because of…because of my…weight.” She said it bluntly, it was like ripping off a band-aid from her skin. She closed her eyes because she was embarrassed till she heard his voice again.
“I don’t understand,” he said.
“I’m overweight,” she said exasperatedly.
“What? You can’t be serious. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid my eyes on,” Liam said, and Isabel opened her eyes, trying to suppress the smile that was forming on her face.
“Not for the fashion industry. Not for my magazine,” she said and she heard him get up from his chair.
“That is bullshit,” Liam said walking up to her. He was standing above her now, looking down at her face. Isabel shrugged her shoulders.
“My father died. He was the only family I had. And then I lost my job and I knew why I was fired.” Isabel turned away from him to look at the fireflies.
“Because they think you’re too big?” he asked and she nodded her head.
“They are foolish,” she heard him say. She smiled blankly, a million images of her past life running through her head.
“I wanted to run away. I wanted to go away to a place where someone needed me for who I am,” Isabel continued, but he interrupted her.
“You were running away, hiding out here,” he said and she didn’t need to nod her head for him to know that was the truth.
“But Isabel…” he began and she looked at him again. “This isn’t the life, you know. You can’t hide out here forever.”
She narrowed her eyes and stared at him. She could see that he was struggling with the words. He was trying to say the right thing, even though it hurt him. Even though it would mean that he would lose her forever.
“When I met Sophie…when I met you… I knew that I wouldn’t be hiding here. I could be myself here,” Isabel said and she watched as he crouched down in front of her.
“The moment I saw you, I knew that you would want to change your mind about your decision. You’re too beautiful, you have too much to give, and you’re too smart for us,” Liam said.
Isabel shook her head. “I’m happy here. Even though it’s only been two days, and I got sick, and I…we argued…and Sophie was late for school,” she began and Liam smiled. “It all made me happy. I felt useful and needed.”
“And desired,” Liam added and Isabel felt her cheeks flush. Liam reached for her face. In the dark, she shut her eyes. “I didn’t want a bride. I didn’t think about it and I was so angry with Sophie for what she had done behind my back. But now I’m glad that she did,” Liam said while stroking her cheek with his large thumb.
Isabel felt shivers run down her spine. She wanted him again, she wanted his mouth on her skin, she wanted his arms around her.
“She’s a smart kid,” Isabel said and they both laughed.
“So you won’t leave tomorrow afternoon?” he asked and Isabel bit down on her lip.
“Not unless you want me to.”
“No, I want you to stay. At least for a while longer. See if you want to change your mind after that.” Liam’s voice was low and gruff. She could see that he was thinking of her body again, just like she was thinking of his. Isabel nodded. It was a good deal. The best deal that she could have asked for.
“But you have to promise to teach me a few things around here. I want to learn how to ride a horse and brush its mane, just like you,” Isabel said with a smile. Liam nodded his head.
“As long as you eat well and drink lots of water,” he said like he was talking to a child. Isabel laughed and fell into his arms; she couldn’t keep herself away from him any longer. His arms were strong and masculine around her and she breathed in his musky scent.
“And you have to promise to keep cooking up these meals. I’m starving. I was drooling from the smell of the lasagna,” he said and they both laughed again.
Chapter Seventeen
Liam had warned her that the Christmas that Isabel was used to in Wisconsin or in New York was worlds away from what Christmas at Mitchell Town was going to be.
For starters, there was no snow and it rained more than it was cold. Strangely enough, Isabel couldn’t have been happier.
Liam bought a Christmas tree from two towns away and Isabel helped Sophie decorate it. The three of them spent a week putting up lights around the house, stringing them from all the trees in the ranch and building a fake snowman near the gate with cotton wool and red felt clothes.
So, on Christmas night, when the sun had set all around them and it was dark, the ranch shone. Isabel had never seen anything as beautiful before.
She had been at the ranch for nearly a month now and she could hardly remember what her life was like before she moved here. She was falling in love with Mitchell Town: the simple good people she met every day, the teacher at Sophie’s school who was overwhelmed and underpaid and had requested Isabel to help him whenever she could. She loved the horses, especially Henry, Sophie’s four best friends who came over to the house ever so of
ten now that Isabel had started baking them cupcakes and cookies after school.
Most importantly, she loved Liam Mayer. She had arrived at this town with the hope that she would be able to settle down with a strong man and his daughter, escape the life she didn’t feel worthy of, and, hopefully, get over the loss of her own father. She had achieved all of that and then some. She had also found a man who cared for her, who was upright and strong, who she felt safe with and who loved his family passionately. But Isabel wasn’t quite sure if she was a part of his family yet.
They lived together like one. She slept in his bed and every night, Liam made her orgasm violently, hugged her limp, spent body and put her to sleep. They ate all their meals together, they laughed and joked together… but was this permanent? Liam never spoke to her about it. They didn’t sit down and have an actual serious discussion. Isabel was beginning to grow restless. The arrangement felt too temporary; too much like a dream that could end at any time.
“When can we open our gifts?” Sophie squealed. She was sprawled on the floor beside the Christmas tree, watching Isabel clear up the plates from their dinner.
They had just finished a lavish six-course meal that Isabel had spent the whole day preparing. Liam was smoking his pipe outside.
“Soon honey,” Isabel said, smiling at Sophie. She couldn’t get enough of this child, she was growing to love her more passionately every day, like she was her own.
“I say we open it now. It’s midnight somewhere in the world isn’t it?” Liam had come in through the door and Isabel hadn’t heard. Sophie squealed and fell on the gifts that lay scattered under the tree. Isabel smiled and shook her head at Liam and took off her apron.
“Come over here, Isabel.” Liam extended his hand towards her and she accepted. He pulled her close and kissed her softly on her forehead.
“This one’s from daddy.” Sophie was screaming excitedly as she ripped the wrapping paper open. It was a dollhouse that Liam must have bought in the town he had visited for the Christmas tree. Sophie was excited beyond words. She came running to Liam’s arms, hugged and kissed him, and then went back to her gifts again.
“This one’s from Isabel,” she said and stretched her lips. She shook the box in her hands and held it to her ear before ripping through the wrapping paper.
“A baking set!” She squealed and ran into Isabel’s arms. “Thank you so much. Does this mean I can bake with you?” she asked and Isabel nodded. “Come open your gift from daddy, Isabel,” Sophie added, running back to the tree.
Isabel looked at Liam and bit down on her lip. He was smiling and there was a twinkle in his eye that excited her. The box was square and big, and Isabel took her time to open it. Only to find that the box opened to another box, which she had to open again. Like a Russian nesting doll, this one gave way to another so that she had to open six other boxes until she got to the final one.
This wasn’t a box so much as it was a small velvet case. Isabel’s heart was racing as she opened it, aware by now what she would find there. A diamond ring lay in the center like a pearl in an oyster. Isabel shrieked and Sophie shrieked as well. She jumped up and Liam caught her in his arms and kissed her neck.
“Will you marry me, Isabel Bowes?” he asked, laughing at her excitement.
“Of course I will. I was ready to marry you the first day I got here,” she said as he took the ring from her hand and slipped it onto her finger. Isabel didn’t have the time to look at her ring. She was busy kissing Liam while Sophie danced around them in delight.
“I wanted to do this right,” Liam whispered in her ear when they broke away for breath. Isabel nodded, her own breath caught in her throat.
“I want you to be my wife, the mother of my child, and I wanted you to know me before you said yes.” Liam pressed her hand and then brought it to his lips. Isabel felt faint again. This time, it wasn’t because of the heat.
*****
THE END
The Rancher's Virgin
Description
Love is like a shooting star – catch it before it’s gone.
New York is Brie’s life. But when her mother suddenly dies, the 18-year-old doesn’t have a choice. She moves in with her family at a ranch in Texas to start over. Turns out that the ranch owner is one of the most gorgeous men she’s ever laid eyes on.
But she has to forget about him. She’s too young and inexperienced for him, not to mention his son’s nanny.
Little does she know that her aunt’s got it all planned out.
Ranch owner Lance is every woman’s dream with his tousled hair and blue eyes. But underneath the muscles and sun-kissed skin, this wounded cowboy hides his scars. He’s focused on his work and his little son. He has no time for love.
But everything changes when he sees Brie that first day, all curves, beauty and warmth.
Is this wrong? Is this right? Despite their age difference and working relationship, Lance and Brie can’t deny the attraction.
Will Brie be able to move past her loss and start her first relationship? Can Lance let his walls down and give into his feelings? Can they be a family and enjoy a simple life of love and joy together?
Chapter One
The overly cheerful flight attendant greeted me and I boarded the plane with a half-smile, uncertain of everything my future was going to bring. I was going to live in Texas but I knew nothing about the lifestyle there. I used to live with my mom in New York before she died from a heart attack, likely from the stress of working three jobs so that I could live a comfortable life. She didn’t have life insurance at any of the jobs, nor was there any other way for me to keep going to college there.
It’s even sadder that she’s all I had, apart from an aunt with a family in Texas. I didn’t know Aunt Irene well. My mom’s and aunt’s parents, my grandparents, died when they were young, and they lived with an aunt. Ironic, wasn’t it? That aunt died a few years ago and now it was just Aunt Irene. She’d graciously offered me a room in her family’s home. She seemed to be a nice woman, and I appreciated the gesture, but I missed my mom and our apartment in Brooklyn so much. My mom was a big part of the community, selling art at one of the galleries that she worked at on weekends.
I looked out of the window to the place I’d called home for the last six years. I knew that I’d miss it, but Irene offered me a stable home and a chance to make something of myself. I wasn’t ready to curl up into a ball at eighteen and stop fighting, even if I wanted to sometimes. Mom always told me to stick to my dreams no matter what and I was going to make her happy. She was watching over me.
I settled into my seat for takeoff and licked my full lips in a nervous gesture. Mom drove me everywhere, so flying was new to me. I secured my thick strawberry blonde curls in a low ponytail and gripped the armrests with my hands as the engine screamed all around me. Oh God. My heart was pounding. I closed my big blue eyes as the panic set in.
“Think of something pretty, Brie,” Mama said in my mind. I smiled. That was always her way of distracting me from a stressful situation, and I imagined the painting of hers that I loved the most as I took a few deep breaths. It was the Eiffel Tower with a gorgeous sunset behind it, a photo that Mom had seen somewhere and immediately copied. Paris was a trip that we were going to make together someday. I wondered if I’d ever have the heart to make it there alone.
I felt the plane even out and opened my eyes to watch the distance grow between myself and New York. It was an evening flight and the sun was setting. As I watched for several moments, I felt a peace settle over me. Mom was here. I could feel it.
Once the sun had set and the sky started to darken, I looked around, watching the other passengers receive drinks and snacks while they prepared their electronic devices for whatever it was they were going to use them for. I pulled the phone my mother had paid for from the pocket of my jeans and held it in my hand.
I read the texts that Irene had sent me detailing Texas. She lived in a small house on a big ranch where she served
as a cook for the owner. She also took care of her daughter, my cousin Sarah, and his young son, Landon. I didn’t know where I’d fit into the picture, but it seemed like a safe place to go. I knew how much Mom loved her sister and I trusted in that, even if we hadn’t met in person due to distance and finances.
My father leaving when I was one didn’t help matters in that regard. Mom did what she could and worked a lot to keep our heads above water, though she never had a chance to make that little extra for trips and vacations. We just moved a lot instead until she discovered her place was in New York.
I didn’t quite know where my place was, having followed her my whole life. I liked New York, and I’d miss it, just like I did the other cities that we’d lived in. Maybe country life would suit me. I liked the idea of life amongst animals, something I’d only seen in zoos before. It might be fun. I liked the idea of quiet and stars in the sky.
At least that’s what I told myself as we flew through the air.
The plane landed a few hours later, and I walked off with the other passengers and down a long walkway. We ended up at an escalator that led down to where there was a crowd waiting for their loved ones to arrive. My eyes searched the faces for my aunt and my cousin slowly. Finally, they rested on the pixie face of Sarah and the soft face of Irene.
My aunt reminded me a lot of my mother with her soft red hair and green eyes, and her daughter looked like me. Sarah had blue eyes, just like me. I had my father’s eyes – at least that’s what I was told. My mom never said much about my dad.
Irene waved boldly and smiled, nudging Sarah as the twelve-year-old girl smiled up at me. She was a cutie, and I tried to ignore my nerves as I descended towards them.