Wyoming Legend

by Diana Palmer

  Karina smoothed back the child’s hair. “Let each day take care of itself, sweetheart,” she said softly. “Don’t gulp your life down. Savor it. One day at a time. Okay?”

  Janey managed a smile. “Okay.” She hugged Karina again. “I’ll write. You write me, too, okay?”

  “Okay. I promise.”

  “See you!”

  She turned and skated back across the rink to where her father and Lindy were waiting. Karina turned away. She couldn’t bear to look at Micah.

  * * *

  HE SAW HER and hated her. She was still bound and determined to pursue a career in ice skating. She didn’t have the talent, Lindy said. She’d never make a contender. He had to confess, he couldn’t see her in the difficult climb to stardom, not as gentle and soft-spoken as she was. Lindy likened it to prizefighting. There were always people trying to trip you up, keep you down, disillusion you. Karina didn’t fight back.

  It hurt him to let her go. But he knew he couldn’t make her stay. She’d chosen a career, a dubious one, over him. He’d been willing to toss Lindy over, to marry Karina, to have children with her. And then he found out she was sleeping with her married partner. It had destroyed his dreams. He’d never have thought her capable of being so two-faced. But he had proof.

  She wouldn’t look at him. He didn’t want to admit how much it hurt. He missed her. He was miserable without her. He’d deliberately brought Lindy back into his life and nobody was happy, including himself. Janey was sad all the time, Burt was outraged and determined to quit. Micah couldn’t bring himself to touch Lindy, not after his headlong reaction to Karina. It was a huge mess, and he’d made it all by himself.

  Hurt pride counted for a lot, he thought. Karina had turned away from him. She wanted her partner. He was second best to a low-rent skater who apparently didn’t even have a job. What did she see in the man?

  “I said, are you ready to go?” Lindy asked impatiently. “They didn’t even test the child properly. No wonder she passed!”

  Janey bit her lower lip.

  “Leave her alone,” Micah said, and his voice and his expression made threats.

  Lindy cleared her throat. “Oh, all right. Can we just go? I’ve wasted a whole day. I could be out selling properties.”

  “That would be a first,” Micah said bluntly and glared at her.

  She caught her breath, shocked.

  “Let’s go,” Micah said gruffly. He walked out ahead of Lindy and Janey. He was more than ready to go home.

  * * *

  “BURT, I PASSED, I passed!” Janey said excitedly when she saw Burt in the kitchen.

  He grinned at her. “You go, girl,” he teased. “I’m proud of you.”

  “Have you got supper ready?” Lindy asked irritably. “And I hope it’s not swimming in grease again!”

  “Actually, I made pork barbeque,” he said with a raised eyebrow, “and French fries.”

  “My favorite,” Micah chuckled. “Thanks.”

  “Well, make me a salad, then,” Lindy huffed. “Because I’m not eating barbeque!”

  “I made a salad already, to go with the barbeque,” he told her.

  “Stop being a harpy, sit down and eat,” Micah told Lindy shortly. “And stop complaining every damned minute of the day about everything around you!”

  She caught her breath. “How dare you!”

  “How dare I what?” he shot back, and he looked absolutely dangerous.

  She just stared at him.

  “If you don’t like it here, go get your stuff together and I’ll have the company jet fly you back to Vegas tonight. In fact,” he added, “that sounds like a good idea to me. You can keep the engagement ring. Just don’t come back.”

  “But we’re getting married...” she stammered.

  “No, we’re not,” he said flatly. “I’ll be damned if I’ll spend the rest of my life with a shrew like you!”

  “Well! Well!” she burst out. “Well!”

  “That’s a deep subject for a shallow mind. Get packed!”

  He pulled out his cell phone and called his pilot. There was a brief conversation. “He’ll be here in thirty minutes. I’ll drive you to the airport myself,” Micah added.

  “But we’re engaged,” Lindy said. “You bought me a ring.”

  “Temporary insanity. I’m cured, now. You go back to Vegas and find yourself a more biddable millionaire to order around. And make sure he doesn’t have kids, first. Because you’re the worst example of a potential stepmother I’ve ever seen in my life!”

  Lindy had visions of all that sweet money burning around her feet. She forced a smile. “Now, Micah, you’re just under a lot of stress. I can help you with that.”

  “Not unless you’re a licensed psychiatrist,” he shot back. “I told you. We are no longer engaged. Now get packed.”

  She stomped her foot. “Well, thank you for nothing!” she yelled. “Just because I didn’t sweet-talk your brain-dead daughter, you’re dumping me! That suits me very well, because having to live with her wouldn’t be worth it. No matter what that dumb skating coach and that idiot babysitter have been telling her, she has no talent. And that goes double for the babysitter. She’ll never get close to a medal!”

  Janey bit her tongue. She didn’t want to get into more trouble, and her father already looked as if he was ready to go up in flames.

  “I’m going!” Lindy yelled. “And I’m not coming back this time, even if you beg me!”

  “Don’t worry,” Micah said. “I’m not that desperate for a woman.”

  Lindy flounced off without even answering him.

  * * *

  MICAH DROVE HER to the company jet and put her on it. They hadn’t exchanged five words all the way.

  He watched it take off with a feeling of unequaled relief. How could he have been so blind to her faults? He’d let her savage Janey and Burt. He’d let her poison his mind against Karina. He felt liberated.

  But there was still the nagging emptiness he’d felt since he pushed Karina out of his life. He hated what he’d done to her. He hadn’t asked why she was so certain she could have a career as a figure skater. In fact, he’d never seen her skate. He recalled her saying that her parents had mortgaged their home to pay her expenses as she entered into higher competitions. Would even deluded parents have risked so much for a woman who had no talent?

  He needed to talk to her. He phoned Burt and told him he had some business to conduct and that he’d be late, to make sure Janey did her homework and got to bed on time. Then he started for Jackson.

  * * *

  THE RINK HAD only a few skaters on the ice. It was near closing time. He settled down on the back row, hoping that Karina might be down there. He didn’t want her to see him and run, so he sat in the shadows. There was a couple nearby, elderly and friendly.

  He smiled and turned his attention back to the rink. The music had just started. What was it, Rachmaninoff? It was a beautiful piece, but he couldn’t recall the name.

  A couple he hadn’t noticed was just starting a practice routine, by the look of it. He frowned. They were professionals, by the look of them. They skated as if they were joined by a string, going fluidly from balletic grace to incredibly athletic jumps, all performed without a hitch. He leaned forward, fascinated. He’d only seen skaters of that quality looking over Janey’s shoulder as she watched Olympic pairs competition in reruns on television.

  “Aren’t they great?” the elderly woman whispered.

  “Who are they?” he asked.

  “That’s Paul Maurice. His partner is Miranda Tanner,” she added. She chuckled softly. “We call her the ‘Wyoming Legend.’ She’s from near Jackson. Her mother was a two-time gold medal winner at the Olympics in figure skating.”

  He frowned. Paul was the name of Karina’s partner. Had he just been leading her on
, and was he in competition with yet another woman?

  “Of course, that’s not her real name,” the woman continued. “It’s the name she uses in competition, so she’s not hounded by sports reporters. Her real name is Karina Carter.”

  He felt the blood draining out of his face. He was remembering what he’d said to her. That she was a rank amateur who’d never go anywhere in figure skating, that she was pursuing a pipe dream.

  “They won the gold medal at the World Championships this year, before she was injured,” the woman continued, oblivious to the shock in her companion’s face. “We’re very proud of them. They’re almost certain to go to the Olympics next year.”

  Olympics. They were gold medalists in international competition. He’d said she’d never get anywhere in skating. He couldn’t remember feeling so ashamed of himself. He’d sent her running, demeaned her, separated her from Janey. She loved Janey. Janey loved her, too. All that, because of Lindy’s lies.

  “He’s married, someone said,” he murmured absently.

  “Oh, yes. He and Gerda have twin sons. Karina’s their godmother.” She laughed, while he was cursing himself for his folly. “She and Paul and Gerda were best friends from grammar school. Karina said that she and Paul had to make sure not to make eye contact when they were doing that romantic stare they end their performance with, because the one time they did, they burst out laughing and lost points. They’re like brother and sister.”

  “They’ll win the gold this time,” the man accompanying the old woman said firmly. “Didn’t place in the top five at the last one, but they’ll make up for it this time.”

  Last time. Karina and her parents had gone to the last Olympics. Because Karina had competed in them. He’d gotten the wrong end of the stick, all the way around.

  “Been watching skaters come and go here for thirty years,” the elderly woman said gently. “Never saw anybody skate like those two.”

  “I see what you mean,” he replied.

  Karina and Paul finished their routine and skated off the ice. Two small boys and a blonde woman went to meet them. Karina bent and lifted one of the boys, kissing his rosy little cheek and laughing.

  Micah wanted to go down and see her, talk to her. But he knew that if he tried, she’d walk away. He’d hurt her badly. He’d have to bide his time and try to work his way back into her life, somehow. It wasn’t going to be easy.

  * * *

  BURT HAD JUST finished cleaning the kitchen when Micah walked in, his steps dragging.

  “Janey did her homework,” he told the boss.

  Micah sat down at the table. He was giving the older man a curious look. “Did you know?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Did you know that Karina skated under a different name?” he persisted.

  Burt flushed.

  “Thank you the hell very much for telling me so that I wouldn’t make a fool of myself!” Micah growled. “I told her she was chasing pipe dreams!”

  “She made me promise not to,” Burt said, grimacing. “She was hounded by sports reporters just after the accident. She wanted to get away from sports. Never planned to skate again, she told me. But Janey wanted to learn how to skate and you made her drive Janey back and forth to the rink. She got pushed back into it.”

  “I watched her skate with Paul.” He sighed. “He’s got two little boys. Karina is their godmother. Paul’s wife is her best friend.”

  “Did you talk to her?”

  He hesitated. Then he shook his head. “She turned her back on me when I picked up Janey this afternoon at the rink in Jackson. I don’t blame her,” he added. “When she’s had time to get over it a bit, I’ll try again.”

  “Are they good?” Burt asked.

  “Good.” He sighed. “I’ve seen Olympic contenders who weren’t half as talented. It was like watching ballet.”

  “Karina’s mother used her maiden name when she skated. Irene Tanner.” Burt smiled. “I watched her skate, the second year she took the gold medal. She was like a fairy on the ice, graceful, poised, elegant. I had something of a crush on her.”

  “Does Janey know?” he asked after a minute.

  “No. Karina was afraid she might mention it to someone.”

  Micah leaned back in his chair. “Lindy fed me a lot of bull. I was already jealous of Paul. She threw gasoline on the fire.”

  “If I can say so, I’m glad Lindy’s gone. Got tired of hearing her run down Janey.”

  Micah sighed. “I spent so damned much time making money that I didn’t notice my daughter was being pummeled by a woman who didn’t even want her around. Lindy mentioned boarding school and I told her my daughter wasn’t being raised by strangers. It bothered me even months ago that she’d mention such a thing.” He laughed shortly. “She was hot. But there are more important things.”

  “Plenty of them.”

  Micah got up. “Well, I guess I’ll turn off the phone and go to bed.”

  Burt’s eyebrows rose. “Turn off the phone at night? There’s a famous first.”

  “Karina’s idea. She said people had no right to bother me when I was trying to sleep. I didn’t think about it until then.”

  “Back before portable phones, people didn’t call you at two in the morning to conduct business,” Burt said. “No wonder so many businessmen have heart attacks. They get no rest.”

  “I don’t sleep much anyway. But a few peaceful hours aren’t bad.” He pursed his lips and his dark eyes twinkled. “She chased a grizzly bear away with a stick,” he chuckled. “They’ll be talking about that when my grandchildren are in school.”

  “No doubt.”

  “That reminds me, call Billy Joe and have him bring Dietrich up here. Put him in Janey’s room.”

  “She’ll be happy about that. Broke her heart that he wasn’t allowed in the house anymore.”

  “I’ve been blind as a bat,” Micah said. “But my eyes were truly opened tonight. I was going to try and talk to Karina. I sat in the back beside an elderly couple who were watching Paul and Karina practice. I got an earful. Do you know what they call her, down in Jackson?”

  “No. What?”

  “The ‘Wyoming Legend,’” he said with affection. “I guess I’m going to have to eat some cold stringy crow before this is all over.”

  “She isn’t the sort to hold grudges,” Burt replied. “She’s just hurt. You did lay it on pretty thick. And having Lindy here to rub it all in didn’t help a lot.”

  He grimaced. “No, it didn’t.”

  “For my part, I’m glad I don’t have to give up my job,” Burt chuckled. “I was ready to. No way I could live under the same roof with that woman, carping about everything. Especially about my cooking.”

  “I’m amazed that it took me so long to see through her,” Micah said.

  “You were being led around by your libido,” Burt mused.

  “That’s one way to put it.” He shook his head. “Well, I’m not anymore. But I still have no idea how I’m going to get Karina to listen to me while I eat crow.”

  “Give it a little time,” Burt said.

  “I will. And hope it does the trick.” He didn’t add that it was going to be a lonely time in between. The house already seemed devoid of color.

  * * *

  PAUL AND KARINA practiced and practiced. Thanksgiving came and went, a boisterous and fun time with Karina at the Maurice home for turkey and dressing. Janey sent love and greetings and a photograph of her practicing for her next test. Karina returned one of herself with Paul and Gerda and the boys laughing as they trimmed the Christmas tree. Gerda always put it up at Thanksgiving.

  It was a quiet Thanksgiving at the ranch in Catelow. Micah was home, for a change, and Billy Joe came up to eat with Micah and Janey and Burt. Dietrich had a plate of deboned turkey of his own. But it was a somber celebration wit
hout Karina.

  The one bright spot in Micah’s life was that Janey showed him the photo of Karina with the Maurices, decorating a Christmas tree. He didn’t notice Janey’s delighted look as he stared at the photo on her computer with rapt attention.

  Janey mentioned that look to Karina when she sent a digital photo of herself and Micah and Burt, taken by an obliging Billy Joe. But Karina didn’t say anything about it.

  Privately, Karina downloaded the photo and printed it out. She found a frame for it and put it on her bedside table. Life without Micah was colorless.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHRISTMAS WAS A quiet affair at the ranch. Janey had a present from Karina, which she placed under the tree. She’d sent one of her own to Karina’s apartment. There was a small present that accompanied Janey’s, with no tag. Karina assumed that it was from Burt. Until she opened it on Christmas morning.

  It was a charm bracelet. She frowned as she looked at the little figures on its links. There was an ice skate with what looked like crystal chips. There was a dog, very obviously a German shepherd,and what looked like a bear. The last charm was a crow. She wondered what the charms meant. Probably Janey liked crows. She smiled. It was a pretty bracelet. It appeared to be sterling silver. But she examined the clasp, which said 18k gold. That was when she realized that the chips weren’t crystal. They were diamonds.

  She couldn’t believe that Janey had talked her father into buying Karina something so expensive. Janey’s present had been a skating sweater, in Karina’s size, black with a pair of skates outlined in crystals, and a friendship bracelet that had obviously been handmade by the giver.

  There was a note from Janey, tucked in the Christmas card that accompanied the gifts. “The sweater is from me. I crocheted you the friendship bracelet. I hope you like them. Dad sent the charm bracelet. He says crow probably tastes terrible.” There was an emoji of a smile.

  Karina studied the charm bracelet again. Crow. Eating crow. Why would he want to eat crow?

  It occurred to her that it was a roundabout apology. But for what? He’d said she’d never make it in skating. Had he changed his mind?

  Fat chance, she thought. Lindy would be buying a wedding gown by now and thinking of all the ways she could get rid of Janey. Karina had wanted to ask about that, but she didn’t want to pry, or bring up a subject that would be painful to her young friend. So instead she just wished Janey a happy Christmas, thanked her for the presents and said she hoped that Janey liked hers.