“Hey, wait a minute,” Brett protested. “I wouldn’t be able to walk when we got to the ranch if I rode in that cramped back seat, and you know it, Red!”
“Don’t call me Red,” Anna protested, forgetting her grand surroundings.
Brett grinned, that twinkle back in his eye. “I think you’re just trying to win that bet.”
Before Anna could respond, Sylvia intervened, irritation on her patrician features. “Are you refusing to ride in the back with me?”
Brett turned his attention back to his fiancée. “Well, see, darlin’, Anna’s car is little. I’d be too uncomfortable in the back seat.”
Anna watched as suspicion clouded Sylvia’s eyes.
“What do you mean ‘little’? The smallest Mercedes?”
Anna choked back laughter. Oh, this was going to be good. She had a feeling she was going to be dining at the Three Palms very soon.
Brett looked at Anna, as if expecting her to explain, but Anna only smiled and remained silent.
“Not exactly. See, I was going to bring my truck, but—”
“Your truck? You expected me to ride all the way to the ranch in your truck?” Sylvia seemed to choke out the words, then shudder as the thought sunk in. She turned to her father. “Daddy, we’ll have to borrow a car. Is the Cadillac okay?”
“I’ll need it during the week, but I guess I can manage.”
“Yes, you can!” Sylvia practically jumped down the man’s throat. “Or buy another one, if you have to. I—”
“But it won’t be back here until six this evening,” Senator Sanders said.
“This is a nightmare!” Sylvia shrieked.
“Don’t worry about it, Donald. We can’t wait until six. I’ll have to be up early tomorrow morning to help with the branding,” Brett explained. “I can’t get back late tonight.”
“Fine!” Sylvia threw up her hands. “We’ll rent a car for the week. Call someone, Daddy.”
The senator turned toward the phone, but Brett stopped him. “Not necessary, Donald. Unless you’re not coming back with me, Sylvia. Because I’m riding with Anna in her car. Now, you’re welcome to join us, but we won’t be renting a car without a good reason.”
The quiet authority in Brett’s voice was impressive. Anna found herself wanting to jump to her feet and salute him. But somehow she didn’t think he’d appreciate it. She turned to see how Sylvia was taking his ultimatum.
Sylvia’s nostrils flared as she breathed deeply. After flashing a look at her father, she suddenly gave Brett a sweet, wistful smile. “Well, of course, lover, if that’s what you want. I was only thinking of our comfort.”
“That’s what I want. I also want to get on the road, so how about we load your luggage and be on our way?”
“Of course, Brett dearest.” Honey was dripping from her words. Until Brett turned and headed for the door.
Then Sylvia turned to shoot daggers at Anna. “I don’t appreciate this situation,” she hissed under her breath before spinning on her heel and waltzing after Brett.
Anna sat immobilized, too stunned by Sylvia’s reaction to move.
“Uh, Miss O’Brien, I hope you’ll excuse my daughter.” The senator’s voice carried sincerity. “The green-eyed monster sometimes overpowers her when it comes to Brett.” He gave an uneasy chuckle. “Better not let her catch you looking his way.”
Anna’s stomach flip-flopped as she wondered if the man had realized how attracted she was to Brett Randall. But she hurriedly decided he was issuing a general warning. She couldn’t have given herself away to a total stranger.
“Of course not, Senator Sanders. I don’t believe in poaching even if I could compete with such a beautiful young woman. Your daughter is stunning.” In more ways than one.
She must have satisfied the senator because he came to her side and gave her his arm as she stood. “Good. By the way, are you old enough to vote?”
She blinked several times before saying with a smile, “Yes, I’ve been voting for nine years.”
“Really? It’s hard to believe. Did you by chance vote for me in the last election? No, no,” he quickly said before she could answer. “That’s hardly a fair question. I should change it—be sure to vote for me in the next election. And if there’s ever anything I can do for you, just let me know. I live to serve my constituents.”
Anna felt as if she should be wearing an Uncle Sam hat and waving a little flag while a band played in the background. After all, she was pretty sure she’d just heard part of a campaign speech.
“Thank you, Senator. I’ll keep your words in mind.”
“You do that, little lady,” he said, patting her hand in an avuncular fashion. “Now we’d better catch up with those other two.”
When they stepped into the spacious entry hall, they almost bumped into Sylvia and Brett. They’d left the room seemingly in perfect tune with each other. Something had changed.
Brett turned around at their arrival, and Anna received a clue as to the problem. On the floor in front of them was a mound of luggage.
“Anna, look at this!” Brett gestured to the luggage. “She’s packed enough clothes for a trek to the North Pole. Tell her this much luggage isn’t necessary.”
Making a mental notation to torture Brett sometime in the future, Anna smiled at Sylvia and said, “We’re fairly casual in the country, you know.”
Sylvia swept a glance up and down Anna, her expression making her opinion of Anna’s fashion sense quite clear. Anna bit down on her bottom lip, struggling to keep any retaliation to herself. But more and more, she agreed with Janie and Megan. This woman would not do for Brett.
“I’ve agreed to ride in—in Miss O’Brien’s vehicle, Brett. The least you can do is take my luggage with us. I just wanted to be sure I had the right clothes so everyone will like me.” Sylvia gave him the wistful look again.
You’d better go pack more bags, then. Anna looked around guiltily, afraid she’d spoken aloud. But since both Brett and Senator Sanders were staring at Sylvia, she decided she hadn’t committed such a horrible faux pas.
Finally Brett threw up his hands. “Okay, we’ll load all your suitcases. Come on, Senator, grab a few of them.”
The senator looked almost as shocked as Sylvia. “Uh, Maria will help you. Maria?” he called.
“Si, senor?” the young maid said as she appeared.
“Help Mr. Randall with Miss Sanders’s bags.”
The maid bent to do his bidding despite Brett’s protests. Since the young woman was smaller than Anna, she felt obligated to help her, too. While the senator and his daughter watched, the three of them headed toward the door, loaded down like pack mules.
They managed to get four of the bags in the back of the car and put the other two on the back seat, leaving just enough room for one person. Brett reached in his pocket and handed Maria some cash for helping. She tried to refuse, but he insisted. “Have a night out on me. You deserve one,” he assured her with his easy smile.
“Gracias, señor.” She smiled shyly and slipped back into the house.
“Where is Sylvia now?” Brett complained.
“Surely you don’t mean the always-prompt Sylvia?” Anna couldn’t help asking. She knew she sounded catty, but she’d already endured a lot at Sylvia’s hand.
Brett grinned. “She’s never on time. Her father likes to believe she is, but I always end up waiting.”
Anna was glad to find Sylvia failed to measure up again. She was quickly coming to dislike the woman.
But, she had to admit, revenge was sweet. Since Sylvia had delayed coming out, they both had frontrow seats to see her reaction to Anna’s car.
When Sylvia spotted the car, she turned deathly pale and then looked at Brett. “Damn it, this had better be a joke!”
Chapter Five
Brett stared at the woman he’d promised to marry. She was beautiful. But he suspected her beauty wasn’t as deep as he’d thought.
Carefully avoiding looking at Anna, afr
aid she’d been hurt by Sylvia’s words, he opened the back of the car and began removing the suitcases they had just loaded. Still, no one spoke until he set the first two cases down on the flagstone entryway.
“Finally you understand, lover,” Sylvia purred. “What if someone saw us riding in that—that vehicle?”
Without answering, he returned to the car to take out the other bags. When he rounded the car, he saw that Anna had removed the two bags from the back seat.
“Thanks, Anna.”
With a wry smile, as if she hadn’t suffered any insult at all, she murmured, “No problem. I’ll see you back at the ranch.”
He set the bags down with the others and reached to catch her arm. “Where are you going?”
Her eyebrows almost disappeared beneath her red curls, and Brett was surprised by the sudden urge to kiss her rounded lips. They were a natural pink that looked incredibly soft.
“To the ranch, of course.”
“Well, so am I. Don’t leave without me.”
“Brett! What are you talking about?” Sylvia demanded from behind him. Brett turned to his fiancée. She was standing rigidly on the steps, glaring at Anna.
“I’m going back with Anna, as planned. You’re welcome to join us, of course, assuming you don’t insult Anna or her car anymore. Or we can cancel the visit until a more…more appropriate time. Like maybe next year.” Since it was the first of July, he figured Sylvia would recognize his sudden lack of interest in her visit.
The look of panic that crossed Sylvia’s face surprised Brett. But he was grateful she’d gotten his message.
“I’m sorry, Anna. I didn’t think about my, uh, my words upsetting you. Of course I’ll come with the two of you.”
Brett didn’t move. “Are you sure, Sylvia?”
She gave him one of those I’m-so-misunderstood smiles. “Why, certainly, lover. I couldn’t bear the thought of you two—I mean of you going without me.” She turned her gaze from him to Anna. “You do forgive me, don’t you, Anna?”
He noticed Anna didn’t smile, but she graciously nodded and murmured, “Of course.”
When Brett reached for the bags, Anna also stepped forward. “Nope,” he said, catching her arm. He noticed his hand completely spanned her forearm. She was no bigger than a minute. “You don’t need to reload any bags. You’ve done enough, little one.”
“Don’t be silly—” she began.
“Uh-uh. Get behind the wheel. And no pouting because I won the bet,” he added with a teasing grin just for her.
She gave him a smile that lit up her face. “No. No pouting.”
He replaced all the luggage and then gestured to the back seat, half-full of bags. “Okay, Sylvia. Get in.”
In an instant, Brett turned away from her and, opening the front door, he slid into the passenger seat. “I’m ready,” he said blandly. “Are you?”
In a huff, Sylvia flopped into the back seat and slammed the door. She didn’t even wave to the senator as Anna headed out the driveway.
THE RETURN TRIP to the Randall ranch wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as the morning ride, Anna concluded. There was too little conversation.
Anna had to admit she’d enjoyed the first few minutes as she’d watched Sylvia slink down in the back seat and hide her face any time another car passed them. Not until they were on the freeway, out of her neighborhood, did she assume a normal position. Then she’d asked Brett to explain his comment about a bet.
“Ah, that’s a surprise for you. Our first child will be delivered free of charge because of my astute bet.” Brett’s smile was genial, but it wasn’t reciprocated.
Sylvia’s reaction came as no surprise to Anna. She’d already decided Sylvia didn’t have a maternal bone in her body and would welcome pregnancy as much as a beauty queen would want to wallow in a hog pen.
“I see,” Sylvia said, obviously trying hard to keep her tone modulated. “The offer of free care is most generous of you, Anna. If we’re on the ranch at that time, I’m sure I’ll appreciate your assistance.”
Brett pounced on her. “Of course we’ll be living there, Sylvia. All the Randalls are born on the ranch. Even Janie, with twins, is having them on the ranch.”
“Uh, Brett, that may not be true,” Anna hurriedly said. “Things get tricky with twins. They come early, you know, and may need special care.” She didn’t want him to be disappointed if Janie and the babies had to be in the hospital. He’d spoken with so much pride.
“But that’s why you’re there,” he replied simply, smiling at her.
The confidence in his voice warmed her heart, but she had to be honest. “Brett, I’m there to calm Pete, and to provide emergency care in case there’s not enough time to reach the hospital or something else happens.” She preferred not to think about what could occur. Births were unpredictable.
“You’ll manage,” he murmured, smiling at her again.
She could lose herself in those laughing brown eyes, she realized. Maybe Sylvia’s visit was the best thing for her, whether Janie and Megan wanted it or not. Sylvia would be a constant reminder not to lose her heart to Brett Randall.
After all, he had already made his choice. While Sylvia might become her least favorite person, Anna had nothing to do with the Randall family. She ignored the sudden dip in her spirits. There was going to be another Randall wedding, this one between Brett and Sylvia.
And that was one wedding she wouldn’t be attending.
“SO?” JANIE ASKED as soon as she and Megan had dragged Anna into the television room.
Brett and Jake were carrying Sylvia’s bags upstairs to the bedroom prepared for her, with Sylvia following them.
“So what?” Anna stalled.
“Come on, Anna. We want to know what you think of her,” Megan explained.
“She’s very beautiful.” Anna had already decided to stay out of Randall business. Most particularly Brett Randall business. And she wasn’t going to mention to anyone her suspicion that Sylvia had future plans for Brett that didn’t include living with her in-laws. It was even possible that Anna had misinterpreted her words. It could be that Sylvia didn’t like the idea of Anna delivering any future children.
Janie shot her a look of mock disgust. “You’re no help at all.”
Megan, it appeared, wasn’t as ready to give up. “Do you like her?”
Anna had always been painfully honest. How was she to tactfully answer this question?
While she pondered her words, Janie crowed, “You don’t, do you?”
“I didn’t say that!”
“Your face did. Don’t ever play poker with the boys, Anna, ‘cause you’d lose all your money.”
“I’m not likely to play cards with them,” Anna assured Janie, anxious to escape their private conversation. “Did I have any calls?”
“Nope. No one is in labor. Amazing, isn’t it?” Janie said. “So, tell us why you don’t like her.”
Anna sighed. Janie wasn’t going to let her get away. “It’s just that…Sylvia didn’t like the fact that Brett was eating with us when—”
“Wait a minute. Brett was eating with you?” Megan asked, her eyebrows rising.
“Well, yes. He would’ve had to eat by himself if he hadn’t.”
Megan patted her shoulder, a gentle smile on her lips. “Sweetie, Brett has more friends in Casper than there are people in Rawhide. He could’ve had companions for lunch until next Christmas.”
Before Anna could say anything, Janie asked, “And you ran into Sylvia at lunch?”
Anna nodded. At Janie’s exasperated prodding, she told them about Sylvia’s reaction to Brett’s appearance with her and then added a description of the scene at the senator’s house.
Her words stunned the other two. Megan and Janie exchanged a surprised look and then turned to stare at her.
“I swear that’s what happened.”
Janie’s shoulders slumped, and she sighed. “She must really love him, then. Otherwise, she would’ve pitched a
holy fit about him offering to leave her behind.”
“That’s what I figured,” Anna agreed, feeling as depressed as Janie looked.
“Then, for Brett’s sake, we’ll have to get along with her,” Megan said, determination in her voice.
“Yeah,” Janie agreed, not quite as determined.
“Yeah,” Anna echoed, her heart breaking.
“WE’RE DELIGHTED you’re here, Sylvia,” Jake said as he set down the luggage. “Welcome to the family.”
“Thank you so much, Jake. I’m delighted to visit. I’ve heard so much about your wonderful hospitality.” She smiled warmly at his brother, and Brett breathed a sigh of relief. He’d been having some doubts about his engagement after the events of the day. But Sylvia must have just been in a bad mood.
“Get washed up, sweetheart, and we’ll see what Red saved us for dinner. I know you must be hungry.” He smiled and turned to follow Jake from the room.
“Wait a minute, Brett. Can’t we…talk?”
“Now? Aren’t you hungry?” He was. Lunch seemed a long time ago.
Sylvia stepped closer and slid her hands around his neck, leaning against him. “You haven’t even kissed me today.” She pouted and lifted her mouth to his.
Brett eyed her lips, covered with bright red lipstick, shiny, as if he’d slide right off if he touched them, and he thought of Anna’s soft pink lips. Sylvia’s were thinner, more—more precise. Disconcerting as his thoughts were, he kissed her.
When he pulled away, Sylvia complained and tried to pull his head back down.
“Anna will be waiting on us for dinner, Sylvia. We’ll have some time later.”
She leaned her body into his, and Brett was surprised when his didn’t respond as it had in the past. He must be more tired than he thought.
“Where’s your room? I thought maybe we’d share a room while I was here. You know, conserve heat,” she added, writhing against him.
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