“Why are you calling?”
“I need you to do something for Lela.”
“Anything, dear.”
“I want you to tell Uncle Phillip you’d like to oversee the funeral arrangements.”
“Come home. We’ll do it together.”
“I can’t. Not yet. Write this down.” Ella rattled off the names and phone numbers for the funeral homes in New York and Crystal Creek, along with her selection for the casket. “In my closet near the back is a navy blue garment bag. Inside is our mother’s white lace dress. The one she wore on her honeymoon with Dad. Lela cherished that dress. Grab the pretty glitter You You Louboutin heels in her closet. Lela always loved those shoes.”
“I know the ones. She wore them to her graduation.”
Ella sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, thinking of all Lela accomplished, but never got to see bloom into her bright future. A future that had been snuffed out, never to shine again.
“Yes. Please take her things to the funeral home so they can prepare her for burial.”
“I know just what to do. I did the same for my mother just last year, remember?”
“Yes. I do. I’m so sorry to bring up sad memories and ask you to take on this task for me.”
Mary sniffled back tears. “She was a beautiful girl with a big heart. So tragic to see her die that way. I hate what they are saying about you on those tabloid shows and in the news. It’s disgusting the way they make up stories and tell lies. They don’t know you or her.”
“What is Uncle doing?”
“He’s holed up in his library with that detective. Those two have been going back and forth about something since this happened.”
Gabe walked in with bags of groceries gripped in both his hands, a dusting of snow covering his black ski cap and wide shoulders. He smiled and gave her a questioning look, wondering why she stared at him so intently. She couldn’t help herself.
“Do you need me?”
Yes stuck on the tip of her tongue, but she shook her head no. Gabe must have sensed her indecision and hesitated a moment longer before turning and walking into the small kitchen.
“Mary, please, just do as I ask, and delete this call from caller ID too. I don’t want Uncle to know where I am or how to get in touch with me.”
“I’ll do all you asked. What about your sister’s funeral? We need to make plans. People are calling, asking about the service and you.”
“I’ll prepare a press release. The funeral will be private. Family only. A memorial will be held later.”
“But, Ella—”
“That’s what I want. You’ll understand why soon. Trust me, Mary, what I’m asking is necessary. Uncle Phillip cannot be trusted.”
“I have to go. Your uncle is bellowing for me. Take care, my dear. I’ll do everything you asked. You can count on me.”
“I always do.”
Ella put the phone on the desk and scrubbed both hands over her face. When she finished, she stared at the box and bag Gabe set in front of her.
“What is that?”
“Your present.”
“Gabe, you really didn’t need to—”
“I really did. Open it.”
She smoothed her hands over the shoe box, caught the edge, and lifted the lid, revealing the pair of black boots. Sturdy. Warm. Perfect for the winter weather and the snow.
“Your foot should fit in there with the brace. When you lace them up, they’ll give you extra support for that ankle until it heals. The best part, they’re waterproof. For the most part. Believe me, you spend any length of time in the snow, they’ll get wet. But they should do the trick for the next few days while you’re here.”
“Trying to get rid of me so fast.”
“Yeah, that’s why I bought you shoes to wear here. You’ll look ridiculous in New York with those and your designer slacks.”
“I love them.”
“You mean you’ll tolerate them while you’re here.”
“No. I really love them. They’re perfect. Thank you.”
He gave her a skeptical look, but reached out and handed her the bag. “This one I owe you.”
“What is it?”
“You’re really bad at opening presents. You’re supposed to tear into the thing.”
She held the paper sack and pulled the tissue out, tossing it up in the air with a touch of flair. Gabe smiled and shook his head. She reached inside and pulled out the contents and set them on the desk and just stared at the pretty sweaters he’d bought for her.
One, a soft, thick cable knit with a V-neck in a deep purple. The next, a softer knit with a V-neck in a turquoise blue. The last, a tunic much like the one she wore but heavier in weight, in a beautiful raspberry pink. She loved them and let it show in the way she ran her hands over the material, admiring the texture.
“I hope I got the size right. I didn’t know what you’d like, and they certainly don’t cost anywhere near what your sweater probably cost, but I thought they’d look nice on you.” Gabe could barely look at her, nervous and unsure of his purchases and whether she’d like them.
She couldn’t help it. The tears glistened in her eyes. No one had ever done something so nice for her for no reason. Spontaneity won out over propriety and she leaned up and gave him a quick kiss. This time the kiss was much different than the one she’d pushed on him earlier. That time, she’d let her anger rule her emotions. This time, she felt the heat spread through her whole system. Everything inside her wanted to dive in for another, deeper kiss. After the way he’d reacted the last time she kissed him, she stuck to the present and not the tension crackling between them.
“Thank you. I love them.” She didn’t really look at him, but picked up the pink sweater and held it to her chest, checking the size and admiring the way the material hung just so to the tops of her thighs. Perfect.
Acutely aware of Gabe standing motionless beside her, she glanced up and sucked in a deep breath. The intensity in his eyes made her hesitate.
“Gabe, really, I love them. Thank you so much. You didn’t have to do this, but I appreciate it so much.”
“I ruined your sweater.”
She reached out and grabbed his bare forearm. His warmth seeped into her skin and set her body ablaze. She leaned in, but caught herself before she rubbed up against him. “It’s no big deal. You didn’t have to buy me anything.”
“I wanted to.” His words came out soft. His gaze fell to her hand on his arm. She pulled it away. Something in his eyes told her he wanted her to touch him again. More. The heat of his stare pulled her in, but he turned away first and walked over to the boxes he’d dragged in while she was on the phone. He took the long, thick down coat from the top of them and came back and handed it to her.
“I pulled this out of one of the boxes from your mother’s closet. I didn’t think anything from yours would fit after all these years. You probably don’t want to wear your mother’s clothes, but I thought this jacket might suit you. You need something better than the one you brought. Plus it’s another thing that got ruined in the snow.”
She took the deep purple coat and held it to her chest, smelling it and rubbing her hand over the material. She remembered her mother wearing it, cheering and clapping her hands together as Ella raced Lela down the mountain on sleds.
“Thank you. Purple was my mother’s favorite color.”
“I gathered that from your parents’ room.”
“That’s right, you oversaw the people who packed everything. Thank you, Gabe, for everything.”
He turned and walked into the kitchen.
“What are you doing now?”
“Making dinner. If I don’t feed you, I’ll need to buy you a smaller size. Lord knows there’s barely anything of you to look at as it is.”
She laughed and retorted, “Is that why all the sweaters have V-necks, because I’ve got nothing for you to look at?” She pointedly looked at her full breasts and up at him.
His gaze b
lazed a trail from her face to her breasts. “Sweetheart, I like looking at everything there is about you.”
The heat in that look promised a hell of a lot more than looking.
Chapter 12
Gabe watched Ella from the kitchen while he prepared dinner. Nothing special, just a couple of pork chops he picked up at the store. He put them in the cast-iron skillet to fry along with the onions he’d chopped earlier.
He could still feel the heat of her touch on his arm. The kiss surprised him. Not that the simple kiss sparked something inside him, but the intensity with which it spread through his system and made him crave more. It took everything he had not to grab hold of her and crush his mouth to hers. She tasted sweet, like his favorite strawberry pie.
He bought Stacy a pair of gold earrings once. Something special for her birthday. He didn’t remember feeling this damn good about giving her the present as he did seeing Ella’s eyes light up when she saw the boots and sweaters. Nothing special. Just what he owed her and something to protect her feet. Still, you’d have thought by the look on her face he bought her diamonds. Men probably had in the past. She said she liked to have fun with the guys she dated, nothing serious. Judging by the photos of her out on the town on the TV news reports, he had no doubt she didn’t spend many nights alone. That thought stopped him cold. Then he thought about it again and the shy way she’d kissed him and touched his arm. Not practiced or seductive, but a real and true show of affection for what he’d done for her.
He thought of their argument earlier and the angry kiss she planted on him, a strange punishment for the stupid thing he said. Every minute he spent in her company, he got to know her better, and with every new thing he learned, he wanted to know more. He’d even told her about Stacy. He’d never talked about what happened with anyone. Not even his brothers.
The longer she spent with him, the more she let her guard down and began to trust in him. She’d have plenty of time to get to know him over the next couple of days. One hell of a storm was rolling in and they’d be lucky if the snow didn’t bury them up to their necks. He hoped the satellite didn’t go out, but with thick clouds covering the sky, no doubt they’d lose service. He hoped to keep track of what was happening with the murder investigation through the news and Internet. He didn’t want to get caught in any more of her uncle’s surprises.
The salad went together in a matter of minutes. He flipped the pork chops in the pan and grabbed the cornbread muffins he bought at the store. He turned the oven to warm and put four muffins on a baking pan and set them in to heat.
Ella surfed the Web, looking for information on the detective and ties he had in the department and community. She moved her back this way and that to ease the pain etching lines in her forehead. Her discomfort disturbed him on a level he didn’t want to evaluate too close. The whole thing with the sweaters already made him think he’d gone mad.
Unable to watch her squirm in pain, he pulled the jug of iced tea from the fridge and poured her a glass. He went to the cabinet by the phone and pulled out the bottle of ibuprofen he kept there for those nights when working in the stables left him aching and sore.
She stood and limped toward him. He met her halfway in the dining area. “Here. If you won’t take those pain meds, take these. They’ll take the edge off.”
“Thanks.” She popped the pills in her mouth and downed three quarters of the glass of iced tea and let out a huge sigh. “I was really thirsty.”
“Let’s get something straight. You’ve got nowhere else to stay because your house is empty. I’m happy to let you stay here as long as you like. This is the kitchen.” He indicated with a sweep of his arm. “I keep the food in here. If you’re thirsty, get something to drink. If you’re hungry, grab something out of the fridge or cupboards. For God’s sake, help yourself to whatever you want.”
“Why are you mad at me?”
“I’m not,” he snapped. “I’m mad at me. It’s nearly seven at night, and you’ve had nothing to eat or drink all day. How do you exist without any coffee in the morning?”
“That accounts for the raging caffeine withdrawal headache.”
He swore and went back to the fridge and pulled out a soda. “Drink this. It’s full of caffeine and should help.”
“Thanks.”
“Stop thanking me. If you want something, don’t stop to ask, just grab it.” If you want me, grab me. I won’t mind. He’d never wanted any woman as much as he wanted her.
“Thanks. I took one of your spare toothbrushes already, but the soda and that food are really what I need.”
“I should have fed you.”
“It’s not like you stopped to eat today either.”
“I ate a huge breakfast before you got up and drank three cups of coffee while I waited for you. I ate a sandwich and half a bag of chips on my way home from the store.”
Gabe went back to the stove and took the meat off the burner. He pulled the pan of cornbread from the oven and set it on the stove.
“That smells like heaven. You’re a really good cook.”
“You haven’t even tasted it yet.”
“If it tastes half as good as it looks, I’ll love it.”
“So you really don’t know how to cook?”
“Not really. We have Mary. She’s an amazing cook. And I eat out a lot.”
He wanted to ask her with whom. Thoughts of her out at the nightclubs flashed in his mind, those skimpy outfits he’d seen her in on TV this morning. But he remembered what she said about how he didn’t know her, so he asked, “Really? I bet they’ve got some great restaurants in New York. Got a favorite?”
“Several. My sister and I loved this Italian place called Mama’s. This little hole-in-the-wall most people would walk right by, but we loved it there. Family-owned, Mama’s cooks the best lasagna in the city. The Florentine fettuccine Alfredo is to die for.”
He smiled, liking her this way. “What else did you and your sister like to do?” Genuinely interested, he kept his gaze steady on her, prompting her to keep talking.
“Broadway.”
“Really?”
“We loved the plays. Our mother used to drag our dad, but I think he secretly liked it. They took us all the time. We still go. Kind of a tradition. Especially the Radio City Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes. Every year. We never miss it.”
She caught herself talking about her sister in the present tense. Like they’d go see a show next week.
“Sit at the table, sweetheart. I’ll just be a minute with the rest of dinner.”
She took the seat facing him in the kitchen and put her sore foot up on the chair across from her. He grabbed a plastic bag from the drawer and went to the freezer. He filled the bag, took it to the cutting board, used the meat tenderizer to smash the ice cubes into bits, sealed the bag, and took it to the table.
“Here, I can do that.”
“I’ve got it.” He reached under the table and undid the straps on the brace and carefully slipped it off. He placed the bag over her swollen ankle over her sock. “Better.”
“Yeah. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. According to the news this morning, Lela attended school. Something about getting her MBA from Columbia, right? What about you?”
“I finished mine through the University of Indiana’s online business program last month. I’ve taken a few more classes at NYU.”
“Seriously? The University of Indiana?” He set her plate and his on the table and went back to the kitchen and grabbed the silverware and napkins.
“Don’t turn your nose up at Indiana, Mr. Texas A&M. They are the top-rated online business program in the country. It may not be Columbia, but it’s a great program.”
“Why do it online? I imagine you went to the same private schools with your sister and got a top-notch education.”
“All true, but Lela went right out of high school. What can I say, I like having fun with my friends, but it’s not like the press makes out. Plus that
life gets boring real fast. I was eighteen, young, and having fun. Then I remembered Lela and I are a team and I owed my parents better than that, so I went back to school and spent most of my time trying to catch up to her. You see, in order for us to inherit at twenty-five, we each have to have either an MBA, or have worked for the company full-time for five years.”
“So your sister went the traditional college route, attending classes and working part-time at the company. You worked full-time at the company and did your classes online.”
“Exactly. My sister attended school and worked in the executive offices. She played the part my parents wanted for us and my uncle expected. Over the last five years, I’ve worked in almost every department from the mailroom up. Never more than three months, I take whatever position is open in the other department that would be a step up from the last. That way, when we took over, we’d understand how the company worked from the ground up. We’d go to dinner once a week and talk about the company, how things were being run by the managers in place, what needed to be changed or tweaked, and we’d bring those items up to the executive staff. We never wanted to take over the company from the people my father left in charge of running it, we wanted to contribute and be a real part of the team.”
“That sounds like a very good plan for learning the business and understanding all the working parts.”
“Exactly. How could we spend all our time in school and then take over one day, having no idea what the company did and how to manage it? Just because we had the degree didn’t guarantee we knew what we were doing. Our father worked hard to build the company out of next to nothing. He deserved for us to take the opportunity he gave us and do it right. We owed that to the people who have worked for him and after him to keep the company running and prosperous. Everything we have is because of them and we didn’t want to walk in one day, take over, and make anyone think we didn’t appreciate everything they’ve done.
“People in the company are skeptical when I start in a new department. I mean, I don’t give them a choice about my taking the job, but once they see I’m serious about learning how to do it and how they run the department, they come around and are encouraging.”
At Wolf Ranch Page 11