When she heard footsteps, at first she thought it was Ryan but realized quickly that the sound wasn’t right. As she turned away from the island, Merline took both of Brooke’s hands in hers. “I want to thank you for giving me the best birthday present I’ve ever received.”
What? Sure, the blown-glass flower arrangement was nice, but it was nothing compared to the carved angel.
For a brief moment, Merline bit her bottom lip. “You gave me my son back.”
Brooke didn’t know what to say. In the silence stretching between them, Merline wrapped Brooke in a hug. A lump formed in Brooke’s throat because the contact made her miss her own mother even more. With a smile and a pat on Brooke’s cheek, Merline returned to the party.
Needing some time alone to push back tears, she stepped outside. As soon as she crossed from the light of the kitchen to the dark night outside, her cell phone rang. She jumped at the unexpected sound. The only person not in the house behind her who had this number was her sister.
With her heart beating fast, she answered. “Hello?”
“Brooke, it’s Holly.”
Brooke heard a slight tremor in her sister’s voice, but she didn’t immediately ask why it was present. She didn’t want to hear anything that might be the equivalent of another bomb going off in her life. “How are you all?”
“Good, just working, you know. Caitlyn won the school spelling bee for the second grade.”
“That’s wonderful. Give her a hug and kiss from me.”
“I will.”
Brooke could tell Holly wasn’t fully invested in the chitchat part of the conversation, so she took a deep breath and asked the question hanging between them. “What is it?”
“Chris showed up at my office today.”
“What?” Brooke’s heart started beating so fast it reverberated against her eardrums. “He didn’t hurt you, did he? Threaten you?”
“No, but I got the distinct feeling that he knew that I know where you are. He had someone with him, a guy who walked around the office while Chris talked to me. I don’t know what he was doing.”
“I’m so sorry. I never meant for this to touch you in any way.” Tears pooled in her eyes and each word was more difficult to say than the last. “I…” She couldn’t believe what she was thinking, what she was about to say, but she’d do anything to keep her sister and nieces—the only family she had left—safe. “I’ll go back to D.C.”
Holly cut her off before she could say anything else. “You’ll do no such thing. You’ve given up too much already just because he’s crazy.”
“But I can’t live with it if anything happens—”
“Nothing will happen to us. I’m more worried about you. I know we’ve been careful about communications, but you said he’s powerful, knows powerful people. What if he figures out how to track you there?”
“I’ve been very careful.” She wouldn’t let her sister know she feared the same thing. Instead of a lobbyist trying to encourage votes on Capitol Hill, it sometimes seemed as if Chris was CIA or something. He had ways of finding things out.
“I wish he’d just let go, move on,” Holly said.
“He will, eventually.” Brooke wasn’t so sure, but it was her most fervant hope.
In the background, she heard a door close.
“The girls just came in from playing. They’ll want to talk to you if I don’t get off here.”
“No, let me talk to them.” She needed that connection with their innocence and sweetness, to hear for herself that they were okay.
There was some shuffling of the phone, then Emma’s little voice came on. “Hi, Aunt Brooke.”
“Hey there, punkin. How are you?”
“Good. When are you coming to visit?”
Brooke pressed her eyes closed and swallowed hard. “I’m not sure, sweetie. I’m getting settled in a new job.”
“Oh.”
After some chatter about Emma’s new guinea pig, Princess, the phone was passed to Caitlyn.
“Hey, I hear you won your spelling bee,” Brooke said.
“Yeah. I beat out Jason Trainer. He thinks he’s smarter than everyone else.”
Brooke laughed. “Well, he’s not the best speller, is he?”
“Nope.”
Brooke smiled at the pride in her niece’s voice. How she missed those girls. She hadn’t seen them terribly often when she was in D.C., but Texas seemed a world away. As though they might suddenly grow up and she would miss it all.
Once the girls relinquished the phone to their mother, Holly asked, “How are things going there? Are you still liking it?”
“Yes, it’s great. The Teagues are wonderful people. I think Mom and Dad would have liked them.”
“I’m glad. Maybe when everything settles, we can come visit.”
“I’d like that.” When everything settled. She tried not to think about how Chris might never give up his obsession, how she might have to live a lie for the rest of her life. Her heart hurt at the thought of keeping something as important as who she really was from Ryan, but what choice did she have? If she lived openly under her own name, that would just make it easier for Chris to find her.
A chill ran down her back as she remembered the words he’d spoken when she’d tried to leave before. “You will never leave.” It hadn’t been so much the words as how he’d said them, the look in his eyes. He hadn’t explained the consequences of her leaving, but he hadn’t needed to. His tone and expression told her everything. If she tried, she’d live to regret it. She’d allowed those words to control her for far too long, until she couldn’t stand it anymore. She’d finally decided the risk was worth it. But she wasn’t about to risk her family.
“Holly, promise me something.”
“Okay.” Her sister sounded hesitant, as if she knew she wasn’t going to like what Brooke was about to say.
“If he contacts you again, let me know immediately.” Even knowing the inevitable result, to protect her family she’d go back to him, try to figure out another way of making a break so that he left them all alone.
“Brooke?”
She jumped at the sound of Ryan’s voice at the back door.
“Who’s that?” Holly asked in her ear.
She held up an index finger to Ryan. “It’s my boss’s son,” she said low to into the phone.
“You’re still working this late?”
“We’re having a birthday party for his mom.”
“That sounds nice. Just what you need.”
“Yeah, I gotta go. But promise me, okay?”
Holly hesitated but eventually made the promise that allowed Brooke to breathe a little easier. “Thanks. I love you.”
“I love you, too. Be careful. And enjoy your new start, okay?”
Brooke glanced back at Ryan. “I am.”
She ended the call just as Ryan stepped close to her. “Everything okay?”
She pasted on a smile. “Yeah. That was my sister. I didn’t mean to be rude and disappear, but it was easier to hear out here.” Even that small lie caused an unwelcome twinge, smacked her with the fact she was building a relationship on lies.
He looked down at her as if searching her face for something she was hiding. His hand found its way to hers. The warmth and strength of his helped steady her.
“We should go back inside,” she said and started to step toward the door.
“I have a better idea.” He pulled her close and kissed her.
When the kiss ended, she whispered against his lips. “That was a good idea.”
After another kiss, Ryan allowed her to lead him back inside. But she went no farther than the kitchen as Ryan continued on into the living room, where his family was still h
aving a good time if the laughter was any indication. She braced herself against the island and scanned the faces. Little Evan who was always a ball of energy and desperate to emulate every action of his father, grandfather and uncles. Merline, who had effortlessly filled the hole Brooke’s mother’s death had left. Simon, who was a flirt, yes, but also someone who could make her laugh. Grace, who looked at her new husband with so much love, it was inspiring. Nathan, who watched Grace much the same way.
And Ryan. Brooke’s heart felt as if it expanded as she looked at him. He’d come to mean so much to her in so little time. And the true miracle was that he seemed to feel the same way about her, but without any demands or hint of being overbearing. He was the kind of man she should have loved all along.
She did love him. There was nothing else she was more sure of. But even that wasn’t enough to keep her here if Chris threatened her family. Or Ryan’s. The realization that the Teagues had become like a second family to her made the mere idea of leaving this place heartbreaking.
Ryan looked up and met her gaze, giving her a private smile. She smiled back and hoped the number of smiles between them weren’t numbered.
Chapter Thirteen
As the interview with Uniquely Texas progressed, Ryan kept glancing toward the door to his shop, hoping that Brooke would appear. After all, she was part of his story, helping him when he was injured and encouraging him to bring his angels to light. Just the night before, as they’d lain together in his bed, he’d made the decision to do exactly that. The ones he’d made with that Iraqi girl in mind would forever stay private, but something had changed in him in the past few days. He’d gotten ideas for innumerable angel designs, had started on a couple of them. He wanted to surprise Brooke by revealing that she was the inspiration.
But as the interview drew to a close, he realized she wasn’t going to show. And that didn’t sit well with him. The story didn’t seem complete without her.
“I’d like to give you all a quick tour of the guest ranch operation, if I could.”
Libby Prentiss, the host of the show, glanced at the time. “We could probably spare a few minutes, just shoot a little bit for background.”
It was enough to get them to the main house, where Brooke was no doubt busy in the kitchen.
He showed them the barn, pointed out where his dad and Nathan were giving riding lessons, even shared a bit of the ranch’s long history. When they reached the house, he spotted Brooke right where he’d pictured her, at the island preparing lunch for the guests. His mom sat across from her, consulting some paperwork. Wonderful, he could introduce the two most important women in his life.
As he pulled the door open and ushered the crew inside, he caught movement out of the corner of his eye.
Brooke had spotted the camera and stepped away from the island. Her eyes widened ,though he got the added feeling that she was trying to hide it.
“Excuse me,” she said. “I have to make a phone call.”
He rounded the island and spoke low to her. “Brooke, I’d like you to be a part of the TV piece.”
She waved off the idea. “I’m not much for cameras. Your mom will do a great job. Maybe she can mention the gallery, too.” With a smile he’d swear was forced, she left the room and closed herself in his mother’s office.
When he turned back around, his mom looked as surprised as he felt but she covered it well.
Not wanting the crew to sense anything off, he said, “Looks like our cook is a little camera shy. But this is my mother, Merline Teague, the heart and soul of Vista Hills.”
She gestured to deflect his praise, and he could tell that endeared her to Libby. The reporter launched right into her questions about the ranch’s guest operations.
He only half listened as Libby and his mother talked about the day-to-day operations and new offerings on the horizon. Most of his attention, however, had shifted from the interview to Brooke’s reaction. He hadn’t meant to make her uncomfortable and couldn’t help but wonder if this had something to do with her old life. Was it more than some sort of bad breakup?
The crew wrapped up shooting footage and departed, leaving his mother and him perplexed in the kitchen.
“Some people have a phobia of cameras,” his mom said.
“Yeah, I guess.” Instinct was telling him it was more than that. Had whoever she’d been with before convinced her she wasn’t attractive? Was that why she didn’t like cameras?
“I’m heading into town for a while,” his mom said with a glance toward her home office.
Thankful for the opportunity to talk to Brooke alone, he headed toward the closed door then knocked. “Can I come in?” She didn’t answer, so he cracked the door enough to poke his head inside. Brooke looked up from where she was writing something. “They’re gone.”
The tenseness in her shoulders and the tight expression on her face relaxed visibly as she lowered her gaze.
He opened the door the rest of the way and stood propped against the doorframe. “Why the disappearing act?”
She looked down at the paper on the desk. “I told you.”
“This have anything to do with a guy you left behind?”
“Why would you say that?”
He noticed she didn’t meet his eyes, just kept writing on the notepad in front of her.
“I feel like there’s something you’re not telling me.”
It took her too long to answer, enough time for his stomach to knot.
“I was interviewed on TV once, in high school, and I totally flubbed it up. It was like I couldn’t even speak English. It was mortifying.”
Relief poured through Ryan at the ring of truth in her answer. He felt bad for doubting her.
“Sorry for springing the camera crew on you.”
“It’s okay.” She smiled. “At least I didn’t run screaming from the house.” Her words were a touch shaky, revealing just how much the near-miss with the camera had bothered her.
Brooke stood and rounded the desk, taking the paper with her. “I better finish preparing lunch. Looks like everyone is working up an appetite out there.” She motioned in the general direction of the corral outside the barn.
He reached for her hand, took it gently in his own. “I’ll come by after lunch is over. We can do something this afternoon.”
She smiled. “You’d better be making furniture because I predict you’re going to be getting a lot of new orders soon.” She held up the paper in her hand. “Plus, I need to do some grocery shopping.”
“Okay, tonight then.”
She nodded and made a noise that barely sounded like agreement. His heart lurched at her tone, as if she was pulling away. But why? Surely surprising her with a TV camera wasn’t enough to cause that.
He smiled back, telling himself he was just looking for problems where none existed.
Now if he could only convince himself of that.
BROOKE HAD THOUGHT about feigning a headache to have the night alone to think, but all the worrying that had plagued her throughout the afternoon turned the headache into reality. Merline had even sent her home early to get some rest. But despite taking some ibuprofen and slipping into her most comfortable pajamas, she couldn’t rest. Couch, bed, chair—it didn’t matter where she tried, nothing worked.
Finally, she slipped into a T-shirt, a pair of shorts and sneakers and stood facing the front door. She wanted so much to go see Ryan, to have him wrap her in his arms and tell her everything was going to be fine.
But that wasn’t reality, was it? Reality was the fact that she was too scared to unbolt the door in front of her, let alone traipse to Ryan’s in the dark of night. She retraced her steps and collapsed into an armchair. It was best if she stayed away from Ryan as much as she could. If she couldn’t even tell him the trut
h, why was she trying to fool herself that they had a chance at a happily-ever-after? Besides, instinct was yelling at her that her short reprieve might come to an end, and that before it did she needed to figure out her next step.
No matter how long she sat and considered where she might go next, nothing felt right. Not like it had when she’d seen the ad for Vista Hills.
Unable to think about going anywhere else any longer, she curled up in a ball and did her best to turn off her mind. She lost track of the minutes and hours, but eventually sleep won and pulled her under. Her last conscious thought was that she hoped sleep would bring her some peace, and some answers.
EVERY DAY IT BECAME harder and harder to manufacture excuses for not spending time with Ryan. She’d used the grocery trip already, and going into town to buy Caitlyn a birthday present, the extra work necessary for a day-long teachers’ retreat the ranch was hosting. She’d allowed Ryan to get her alone for quick kisses in the kitchen or outside the back door, but she wouldn’t go to his place or allow him to come to hers. She couldn’t get more attached, couldn’t let him do the same.
By the time she’d managed four days of dodging, she was exhausted, her nerves frayed. She’d even considered packing up and leaving in the middle of the night to remove herself from temptation, but that smacked too much of when she’d fled Chris. The Teagues—Ryan—were not the same as Chris. She wouldn’t treat them the same way.
As she pulled a sheet of sugar cookies from the oven, Simon wandered into the kitchen and snatched one of them, juggling it to cool it. Forgetting that she was trying to keep her distance, she swatted at him.
“Stop thieving my hard work.”
He responded by snatching another.
“You’re impossible,” she said.
“Say, after you’re done with the dinner crowd tonight, you should come out to the music hall. We’re playing.”
He had no idea how much she wanted to say yes. The thought of dancing in Ryan’s arms again, like she had the first night they’d made love, wrapped her in a warmth she’d not felt in several days. But she had to stick to her plan of being friendly but distant.
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