“That’s the question of the day, apparently, as if I’m trespassing at my own house.” She went to the chair and took a seat.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m glad you stopped by. What do I owe the pleasure?”
She thrummed her fingernails on the flowered material of the wing-backed chair. “I told you that I was staying with Tucker for a while—”
“And as the month is coming to a close I’m ready to have you away from him again.” His eyes narrowed. “That is your intention, right?”
Meeting his stringent gaze straight, she cocked her chin. She wouldn’t allow him to change her mind. “I’ve decided to stay. I’ve realized how much I still love him. We deserve another chance.” There was a sense of freedom as she said the words.
JR shot out of the executive chair, sending it hitting the wall. He crossed in front of the desk, his tan disappearing as shock spread over his expression. “You’re kidding, right?”
Not enjoying the feeling of being a small kid again with him standing above her and lecturing her, she stood too. “I’m serious. I’m staying, and before you start, I’ll let you know I’m not changing my mind.” She’d always respected her father, loved him dearly, and even at times had allowed him to influence her to make decisions that made him happy, but not her. As an adult, it was time she took a stand and didn’t feel guilty. She guessed she’d always felt sorry for her dad because her mom had left him when Hope and Sky were young. JR had never moved on with his life after the divorce, and he spent too much time worrying about Hope.
He rubbed his forehead, then dropped his hand as if he was defeated. “And does this mean you’ll provide him with a family?” One grey brow slipped upward in an accusatory fashion. “How much more pain will you put yourself through?”
“To answer your question about a family, I’ve realized that loving a child doesn’t require that I carry him or her in my womb. Tucker and I can adopt. Many children need homes. In fact, I plan to open my heart and door to a young boy, Dalton, soon.”
JR stared at her as if she had grown horns. She knew he wanted to say something negative, but instead, he turned and went to sit back down behind his desk. After a long sigh, he nodded. “Since I can’t change your mind, I won’t try.”
“Thank you, Dad.” She smiled. “I’m hoping you can stop targeting Tucker with your anger because you blame him for taking me away. That’s unfair to him and the love I feel for him.”
JR relaxed into the chair. “I’m not angry with him. I guess for a long time I thought he wasn’t the man for you.”
“Dad, he’s my heart. I’ll never love another man as much as I do him. He made me happy, and I thought I was doing right by him by walking away so that he could move on. I see now how big a mistake that was.”
“I only want your happiness.” Concern etched deeper lines around his eyes.
“And I will be. That is if Tucker still wants me. I’ve made a mess of things over the years.”
“If he’s smart, he’ll be thankful for another chance.” JR splayed his hands on the desk. “Hope, I was talking to Blaise about you and your relationship with Tucker. I had no clue you would decide to stay with Tucker. I encouraged Blaise to give you the time you needed and then he could pursue your relationship.”
Hope sighed. “It’s okay. He understands we are finished, and that has nothing to do with Tucker. I made that decision a long time ago.”
Now Hope knew she had to tell Tucker how she felt.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Tucker wasn’t much into galas and social events, but because Hope had asked him to come along tonight, he wouldn’t have turned her down if his life depended on it.
Thankfully, it wasn’t as luxurious of an event as they used to attend for her work and he could get by with wearing a nice shirt and slacks instead of a tux. The only time he’d liked wearing a tuxedo was at his wedding.
He ordered a beer at the bar then stood away from the crowd, watching Hope as she mingled with the crowd. Her smile was in place and she was decked out from head to toe. This was a different Hope than he was used to. Here she had on a layer of makeup, hair pulled up fancy and her designer dress was nice but didn’t compare to the sundresses she wore at home. He’d always believed she put on a façade when she wined and dined with these people—canoodling with one hand and taking their money with the other. He understood her job was to make them happy because happy people gave money. She did all of this because she cared about the less fortunate.
She was still the warm, sweet, passionate woman he held in his arms earlier.
He was content with how things were going between them. He hoped he wasn’t being foolish.
After working the land all day, he’d come home and she’d have dinner waiting for him. They’d have dessert in bed. He never expected her to make him dinner, that wasn’t part of the bargain, but he had to admit he liked her cooking, especially since she’d gotten quite good at it.
His spine tightened. The four weeks were narrowing down and they only had a week left before she walked or stayed…or rather, he had to leave the house. They hadn’t talked about it, and he wouldn’t force her hand. He’d gladly give her the time she needed to think things over until she was certain.
Although they’d rekindled a lot of the magic here lately, he couldn’t be sure what choice she’d make. She could easily tell him she didn’t want their relationship, that too much time had passed…and there was the fact remaining that she’d never told him exactly why she left in the first place. And communication had been scarce since she’d dropped the Dalton bomb.
His gut coiled.
“Nice party, huh?”
Tucker hadn’t grasped he wasn’t alone until he glanced around to see the man standing next to him. He was nicely dressed, slicked back hair and a holding a flute of champagne. Tucker didn’t recognize him.
“I guess,” he finally answered.
“Oh, you’re not into this sort of event, are you? That’s what Hope told me.”
Understanding raced through Tucker at the speed of lightening. He got a closer look at the fellow. “You Blaise?”
The man grinned, saluted him with the glass and took a long drink. “So you do recognize me.”
“I guessed.” Tucker wavered on the fence between walking away and staying. He’d like to know why this man was here and why he’d approached Tucker.
“You’re a clever man.” Blaise smoothed his palm over his clean jawline.
“And why do you say that?” Tucker glanced across the crowd where Hope was still socializing with a group of people.
“You used the house as leverage to get Hope to come and stay. What influence will you use when the month is up?”
Tucker grinned, not allowing the man to get under his skin. “Hope’s a grown woman. I won’t use anything to influence her in her decision.”
“So then why did you use the house?”
“I don’t know what all you’ve heard about our situation, but I don’t think I’m in a sharing mood tonight.” Tucker took a long drink of his beer.
Blaise lifted his chin, his eyes full of humor. “You’re a confident man, right? So am I, and I have every plan to marry Hope. I’m just waiting until she gets you out of her system.”
“You have to become engaged and stay that way to get married. So far you have a strike under your belt.” Tucker wouldn’t back down from the other man—no reason to. Physically, Tucker had at least six inches and fifty pounds on the man. Second, Hope would be lying in Tucker’s arms tonight. What more did he need to prove that she still cared?
“I’ve done it once. This next time should be a walk in the park.” Blaise smoothed the collar of his designer shirt.
Tucker didn’t want to, but he looked at the man. “Now that’s not confidence. I call that smug.”
Blaise laughed, cold and brash and finished off the champagne. A waiter walked by and Blaise placed the empty glass on the tray. “I just know Hope and she’s beyond the G
reen Acres scene, buddy.”
“And you think she’s the type of woman who’d prefer being a doctor’s wife? You don’t have a clue who Hope is.” Tucker smirked.
“And you know her?” Blaise lifted a manicured brow.
“I believe I know her a helluva lot more than you do. Don’t forget we have history. Your engagement lasted what? A week? Our marriage lasted six years. Which do you think holds more weight?”
All expression left Blaise’s face and he bent his head closer. “If you know her so well, how is it that you didn’t know she was pregnant with your child when she left you?”
Blaise’s words plunged into Tucker’s stomach. He couldn’t have been more pained if a horse had kicked him in the ribs. Keeping himself under control, he calmed his breathing, hoping he didn’t break the bottle of beer he clutched in his fist. “Once again, I’m not in the sharing mood. I won’t talk about my past or present relationship with Hope. I can see the desperation in your eyes.”
Blaise leaned back on heels, satisfaction claiming his expression. “She didn’t tell you that she was pregnant. Wow, some marriage.”
Anger ripped through Tucker. He glanced across the room at Hope. Their gazes met. A wall tumbled within him. Gripping his hand into a tight fist, he brought his arm back and cocked the smug doc hard in the chin, sending him stumbling backward and landing on his back.
Blaise lifted his head as he rubbed his jaw. “How dare you!”
Tucker shook his aching hand and stretched his fingers. “I hope you remember that for a long time to come.”
Gasps of shock and mumbles of disbelief met his ears.
Tucker’s throat ached and he had a weird feeling like he could throw up.
He brought his chin up and met Hope’s concerned gaze. She was coming toward him, and the closer she got he could see the crease growing deeper in the space between her brows.
The truth was written on her face.
“Tucker?” Her lowered voice reached his chiming ears.
People had gathered around. Blaise was scrambling to his feet.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Tucker demanded of Hope.
Her arms dropped to her sides. Her shoulders slumped like she carried the weight of the world. The glass in her hand shook and wine spilled over onto the toe of her shoe.
All sound faded, the music and the laughter, except for the sound of his fast beating heart. He couldn’t even get his chest to work to draw in enough air.
“I can explain,” she whispered.
****
Hope’s world came crashing around her.
Tucker’s expression spun through her like the venom from a snakebite, seeping into her veins and burning realization over her.
The moment she’d seen Blaise next to Tucker she’d known what had happened. Then the next thing she knew, Blaise was on the floor. She shouldn’t have brought Tucker. She should have known Blaise would be hurt and incontrollable.
But it was too late.
“I’m sorry Blaise was here. I didn’t think he’d cause problems.”
Tucker shrugged, hearing a seam break in his shirt. “It was bound to happen. The baby, Hope? What baby?”
“We can’t talk here,” she said, wrapping her fingers around his arm and guiding him out the door into the cool evening breeze.
“Why? How, Hope? How could you do this?”
She faced him, ignoring the pain in her chest. She folded her arms over her stomach. “I didn’t do it to hurt you.”
He smirked. “So you did it because you thought it’d make me happy?”
“Can I explain?”
He jerked off his hat and crushed it against his chest. “I’d like to hear your excuse.” His gaze met hers, steely and foreboding. “This should be interesting.”
“You and I weren’t planning to get pregnant again. And it wasn’t my plan, but it happened.”
“That’s why you were on birth control.” His harsh tone made the fine hairs on her neck stand. “But I guess you didn’t take them.”
“I was going to, but before I could, I was already pregnant. And knowing how we’d lost before, I wanted to wait, to see if things would be different.” His face only became harder. “I started bleeding—and I knew I was miscarrying again. I sat in the bathroom for the longest time while you slept, wondering, debating what I should do. And I was too weak to tell you. But if I stayed I knew I’d have to—and you’d never have the children you have always dreamed about.”
“Hope, we’ve been through this. I told you that we’d get through anything. I wasn’t willing to lose you for anything.”
“Yes, I know what you said, but what I heard was something far different. I knew the words you never said, the ones that made me feel like a failure.”
He blinked. “Those were your own thoughts. Don’t blame me for thinking what you were feeling. I never had and I never will see you as a failure. But it seems you did fail in being honest and open with me. I had a right to know, Hope. You weren’t the only one who was hurt and damaged by the pain. We were a couple and we were supposed to get through this together.”
She nodded. “I’m sorry. At the time, I thought it was for the best.”
He shuffled his feet. “No one says we have to go until the end of the week. Why wait for what we already know is truth? You stay and enjoy your party. I hope I didn’t cause too much of a stir. By the time you get back home, your home, I’ll be long gone.”
Hope wanted to reach out to him, to ask him to stay, but she couldn’t find her voice.
The pain of the past enveloped her.
The dam of reality broke and flooded her every sense.
He walked away and she was speechless.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Tucker felt something feather soft on his cheek. He swiped his hand through the air, pushing something away, and he heard a giggle. He opened one eye to a slit. Becca was standing over him, a tiny brush in her right hand and a small case of something red in the other. “Morning,” he mumbled against his pillow.
“Good morning, Uncle Tuck.” Becca patted him on the head.
“Where’s your dad?” Tucker was exhausted. He’d been working his ass off, and sleeping a few winks here and there. Since he’d come to live with Cash and Becca, his life had succumbed to appeasing a child who didn’t need sleep nearly as much as a man his age.
“He’s talking to your princess.” Becca continued to swipe the brush across his cheek.
Tucker pushed himself up from the bed, sending dolls falling to the floor. How long had he been asleep? “What did I tell you about using me as your baby bed? And what are you talking about? My princess?”
“Hope.” Becca puckered her lips.
“Hope’s here?” He came to a sitting position.
“Yep.”
“Why didn’t you wake me sooner?” He jumped out of bed.
“Uncle Tuck, I was getting you ready.” She planted her tiny fist on her cocked hip.
He snatched her up, kissed her soundly on the cheek then put her down. “Sorry, little slider, but I’ve got to see this for myself.”
Grabbing the nearest shirt, he jerked it on, hearing his heart pounding as he descended the stairs in record time. He raced into the kitchen and stopped in his tracks. His heart skipped ten beats. Hope was sitting at the table, and she looked like an angel with the sun flowing onto her face.
“You’re here,” Tucker muttered.
Tucker didn’t realize Cash was in the room until he cleared his throat. Tucker looked at his brother in curiosity. Cash swept his hand across his face, wriggling his brows. Tucker gave him a shrug.
“It looks like you’ve gotten all prettied up for your guest, Tuck.”
“What are you talking about?” He looked in the glass cabinet door and cringed. He looked like a drunken clown. Dark blue covered his eyelids and red lipstick smeared his lips. “Becca!”
“I told you I was getting you ready for your princess,” Becca said from beside h
im.
Tucker looked at Hope who was laughing. “Will you give me a minute to wash my face and I’ll meet you on the porch?”
Hope nodded. “Take your time.”
****
Hope was sitting on the porch drinking iced tea when Tucker came out. She sucked in a breath. He was sexy with tousled hair, unshaven jaw and his shirt left unbuttoned. She ached to climb into his brawny arms but slowed her pace. There were so many things she had to say first.
“Everything okay over at the house?” He didn’t take the available seat but leaned against the rail.
“Not so great, I must admit.” She set her glass on the table and stood up. “I let something go that I miss greatly.” She slid her hands into her back pockets.
“The baby stuff?” He lifted a thick brow.
She shook her head. “Let’s not beat around the bush, cowboy. I’ve come to take you home.”
“Don’t I have a say in this?”
She pulled her hands from her pockets and sighed. “Only if you don’t feel the same way that I do.”
He took a small step forward. “And tell me what that is.”
“The way that a woman feels when she’s head over heels, madly, completely in love with a man. I want a second chance at making you happy. I want my life back as your wife. I knew before now, even planned to tell you after the gala event, but I missed my opportunity.”
He took another small step closer. “You realize I’m not a yo-yo. You can’t spin me back and forth. I want forever, with you, no matter what our future holds.”
“I’d like to bring Dalton home, our home. But it must be our agreement. If you don’t want—”
“Yes, I want. I want you, I want Dalton, I want our family. I want you happy.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and swept her off her feet. “Damn, woman. Took you long enough!”
Once he stopped twirling, she planted her palms on either side of his face. “Three days felt like hell. But I had to do something first.” His brow lifted and she laughed. “I had to move all of my things into the house, but I was also waiting for this.” She pulled out the two rings from her front pocket, holding them in her palm.
Second Hope Cowboy Page 15