The Cowboy’s Socialite

by Carmen Falcone

  Jack exhaled. “Thanks. I’m surprised to see you here,” he said, unwilling to engage in small talk or keep up appearances. Ever since he’d emailed Wright that he wouldn’t attend the rally—which also meant he wouldn’t publicly endorse the man—he hadn’t heard back from the man.

  “Your wife invited me. How could I pass it up? You know, Jack, I know you’ve always kept yourself distant from partisanship, but how about you scratch my back now I’ve scratched yours?” The mayor leaned in. “I meant what I wrote in the email. I’d love you and your wife’s support. Your Latina beauty would bode well with my much needed voter base.”

  “Hear me loud and clear… I am not doing any of it.” That’s why he stayed away from politics. Didn’t want to owe favors to a dirty rat like this bastard. “And you never scratched my back.”

  “Potato, potawto. Maybe I didn’t do it directly, but c’mon. I expedited the permit because she’s your wife. Why can’t you meet me halfway?”

  “Is that… true?” Jack heard a female voice behind him.

  “I’ll get something to eat,” the mayor said, the coward, and scurried away.

  Jack spun on his heels, his blood pounding in his temples. When his eyes met Lola’s, his veins chilled. His gut curled, like two, make it three MMA champions punched him simultaneously.

  Lola’s facial features hardened into a tight mask as she clearly was making an effort not to cry. Sadness gleamed in her eyes, growing darker and bigger. She watched him silently for a beat, hands perched at her waist. “Tell me.”

  Jack shoved his hand into his hair. He couldn’t lie to her. But he would have given anything to wipe that deceptive expression from her. Damn. The damage was done now. “Listen, the mayor is stupid. He’s thinking of his own agenda—

  “And you asked him to give me the permit.”

  “Not really. He was going to say no, but when he heard you were my wife he decided to help you out. Lola, this doesn’t take away from your plan. Your idea worked out. Look at this,” he said, swinging his hand around. “Don’t let something small get in our way. I just asked you to marry me. We’ll be together, the three of us.”

  Her shoulders dropped a notch, and she had a vacant look on her face. He popped his knuckles. When had been the last time life and vibrancy had deserted her? When we broke up.

  At last, as if something inside her snapped, she shook her head and said in a trembling tone, “Say that again.”

  A pulse throbbed in his throat. Holy fuck. He blurted out about the baby. Ideally, he would have waited to tell her he knew. “You, me, and the baby,” he said firmly, determined.

  The red dress she wore sparkled as she shifted her weight from one foot to another. “How did you know?” She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Wait. That’s why you asked to marry me, isn’t it? Because I’m pregnant.”

  “No. Hold on. That isn’t true.”

  A guest looking for the restroom passed by them, and Jack led her to the kitchen. Consuelo waved, and the waiters she’d hired to cater for the night arranged the food on elegant trays. Jack opened the door to the pantry and they entered. He closed it behind him. Drawing attention to their personal drama was the last thing she needed tonight and he knew that.

  “How can I believe you, Jack? Within minutes, I find out the people dearest to me have lied one way or another. And I don’t care if it was meant to protect me. It hurts.”

  He looked down. “I’m sorry.”

  “I…would like for you to move out of the ranch.”

  He raised his face to see her. A bob made its way down her soft throat. A shock of frustration electrified him. He curled his fingers into a fist and dug his index finger into his palm until it stung. “You can’t mean that.”

  She lifted her chin, and her eyes darkened, making him want to hold her. She suffered, and it was his fault. He made a move toward her but she held up her hand to stop him.

  “We had a deal—you’d move out once I proved to you I could run a bed and breakfast,” she said. “Well, I think I’ve given you enough proof.”

  “You can’t do that. Lola, we’re having a baby,” he said, and tried to touch her shoulder to squeeze it, console her, but she jerked away and stepped back until a couple of cans from the food shelf fell to the floor.

  “Exactly. I don’t want this child to resent us down the line. Trust me, I’ve had my share of resentment.”

  “It’ll be different with us,” he said. He undid the top button of his shirt. “It’ll be different this time.”

  She shook her head. “How? We tried to make it once before without a child, and we failed. Miserably. Do you know what kind of stress a newborn baby brings into a relationship?”

  He gave her a slow nod. How could he convince that stubborn woman arguing with him that he wanted to be there for those bad moments too? “We’ve changed, Lola. Damn it.”

  “You have? How? By not telling me you knew I was pregnant? By trying to trap me into a loveless marriage? How’s that a change?”

  Was she right? They couldn’t discuss the future of their child without hurt feelings? “I could say the same thing. You never told me about the baby. You assumed that was your problem alone and didn’t share it with me, even though we were finally getting along.”

  She lifted her chin. Resentment flickered in her eyes, her facial expression closing like heavy doors of a dungeon. “I needed to figure things out.”

  “Exactly. Why couldn’t we do it together?” he asked, shoving his hand into his hair, desperate to find some common sense. “I thought these past months brought us closer, but I was wrong. You don’t care for me. You don’t care for my opinions. All you’re probably thinking about is how this pregnancy will inconvenience you, and the rest be damned,” he finished, accusation dripping from his voice.

  She stepped back, her eyes glossy. Her lips trembled, hinting his words hurt her beyond measure. His gut clenched. Shit. What she’d done, what she’d said hurt him too. “Right now I just want you out of my life. Leave, Jack,” she said, the vein on her neck pulsing.

  Lola swallowed. She blinked back the tears with all her strength. Daddy had lied to her. Her mother had lied to her. Hell, even Jack lied too. Who cared why he’d done it? It didn’t change the fact she didn’t get to where she was on her own.

  Even I lied, when I omitted the pregnancy from Jack. I’m a failure. Glancing down, she glided her hand over her stomach. What kind of role model would she be? Jack’s painful words rang inside her like the bell of an old church. All you think about is how this pregnancy will inconvenience you, and the rest be damned.

  She sniffed. Earlier that night, her world had collided not once, but twice. Her guests weren’t at fault, so she returned to the common areas and continued to mingle and talk until the last one left. Now the clock read well past midnight, and there’d been no sign of Jack after she told him to go. At last he’d followed her lead, though it didn’t make her feel the least bit victorious.

  A knock on her door spiked her pulse.

  She straightened her shoulders. What she really wanted to do was to curl into a fetal position and cover herself with a blanket. What else did she and Jack have to talk about now? The baby, of course. She knew he would be the best dad in the world, but she couldn’t marry him if he truly didn’t love her. When she’d asked him earlier, he not once mentioned his love for her. At best he’d said they finally got along.

  Did she really need to be in another relationship filled with resentment? Margo always treated Daddy in a way that barely hid her own pain. And now she knew why. Then her first attempt at marriage had gone terribly wrong.

  “Bunny, let me in. It’s me,” her mother said.

  Lola shook her head as if her mother could hear her. Pepper whimpered, and went to the door, tail wagging. He scratched the wood and stood on his two paws.

  Fine. She scooted out of the bed, and taking a breath deeper than the Pacific Ocean, she got to her feet and reached for the door. Before she opened it
, she stared at the door handle for an instant. Hesitation had her pulling her hand back, unsure and anxious about the consequences of letting her mother in.

  “I won’t leave until I talk to you.”

  She opened the door. Her mother looked… different. Her eyes were reddish, and the makeup around her eyes, slightly smeared. Even though it was late, she still had on the same dress as earlier. “What?”

  “I need you to hear me out,” Margo said, storming into the room even though she hadn’t been invited to join her.

  Shrugging, Lola closed the door. Sadness had smothered most of her energy. Or maybe that was just the pregnancy part.

  “I’m sorry for everything,” her mother said.

  Lola swallowed hard. Words failed her. Never had she heard Margo admit guilt so quickly—and genuinely. Usually it came with strings or a backhanded compliment. Lola bit her lower lip. Her mother’s confession didn’t redeem her mistake.

  “I saw Jack go before the party ended. Did you two fight?” Margo fiddled with her necklace.

  Lola plopped on the bed. “Yes.”

  Margo sat next to her. “Don’t be like me, dear. You love him, right?”

  Why deny the obvious? Lola cleared her throat. “Yes.”

  “Then don’t let pride get in the way. Fight for him, and fight for love.”

  Sighing, Lola massaged her temple and wished she found a solution that didn’t involve a loveless marriage. “It’s complicated. I’m pregnant. Due to our past, I don’t want him to be with me just because of the baby.”

  “You really think he’d stay just because of the baby?”

  Lola surged to her feet, restless. “Why not? He’s done it before. He was heartbroken when I had a miscarriage two years ago. Tonight, he didn’t tell me he loved me. Not even when he asked me to marry him. Or I guess to stay married.”

  Margo fixed her hair, then gave out a sarcastic laugh. “Do you really think a man like Jack would let you transform this place if he didn’t love you? Are you blind?”

  “I bugged him a lot so he’d let me,” Lola said, deciding not to mention the deal she’d struck with Jack. Giving her mother more information wouldn’t change things. Right? A cold chill slid down her spine.

  Margo shot her a look of amusement. “Honey… Jack isn’t a man to let himself be bugged unless he wants to.” She squared her shoulders, and leaned forward. Her brows furrowed. “Listen. I was in the wrong with your father. It may not seem like it from whatever snippets you have of our marriage, but I loved him. Instead of letting myself get lost in emotions, I was scared. I used every excuse as a shield and a condition. And that drove me away from him.”

  “I… I’m sorry,” Lola said, even though the reason why was different than what her mother could interpret. The words resonated through her like her body was the inside of a drum.

  I loved him. I was scared. Used every excuse as a shield and a condition. Could it be possible she managed to make the same mistakes as Margo?

  “No. I am. I’m too old not to realize I sabotaged myself and my marriage. And you are too young to follow in those shallow footsteps.” She gave Lola a sad smile. “Besides, you’re far smarter.”

  Lola pondered. She had lost Jack before. Was she going to lose him again? And what would be the price of going to him and revealing how she really felt about him?

  Chapter 15

  Jack walked into Magnus’s pen. Ever since he had been breeding again, the bull had become a lot calmer. Jack knew he should just go. Get his things and leave. Next morning, Earl could send him whatever he needed. The car keys were in his pocket. He could drive until he found a place to sleep.

  Of course if he asked, Earl would insist he slept at his place. But he didn’t want to involve anyone else, or worse—talk about what happened.

  A part of him was sedate and another part riled up with the idea he had lost Lola forever. When she’d left him two years ago, he had been shaken and lost. Back then, all of it happened in Los Angeles. He’d been able to pick up the pieces and head home… to the ranch… where he belonged.

  How about now? He couldn’t simply move out of the region, not when there was his baby to consider. Not when… he’d be leaving Lola behind.

  I love her. His forehead tightened, and he shut his eyes hard. Misery welled up inside him. He loved her, and he’d lost her. Why hadn’t he been able to come to terms with his feelings sooner? Maybe then he wouldn’t be in such a predicament.

  All he really wanted was to storm into the house and declare his love. But she wouldn’t believe him, and that would only make things worse. She needed time. Ironically so. And she might never believe me. The thought brought a bitter aftertaste to his palate, like he had just eaten a rotten piece of fruit.

  He fished out his cell phone and called his lawyer. He didn’t care what time it was. He paid him the big bucks for a reason. It rang three times then the answering machine got it. “I want to sign the deed of Red Oak Ranch over to Lola and make her the sole propriator. All of it. Have the paperwork emailed to me tomorrow.”

  That was the right thing to do. He’d transfer it to her. As much as that killed him, at least she would have security. He’d iron out shared custody and how they’d raise their child together after she had time to cool down. But giving her the land showed her he believed in her. She kept her pregnancy from him, but he had to understand she was overwhelmed.

  Red Oak, the river, none of it mattered if it meant being miserable.

  “D-Do you mean that?” said the female voice behind him.

  Jack’s insides shook like a damn earthquake. Popping his knuckles, he turned around to see her. Did she want him to vacate the entire property immediately?

  As if listening to his conundrum, Magnus grunted.

  “Yes. Of course I do.”

  Still wearing that sinful dress from the party, she walked closer to him. The remains of makeup under her eyes and cheeks revealed that she’d been crying. If he could kick himself for hurting her, he would. “This ranch means everything to you,” she said, her voice a tad softer than earlier. Almost like she was about to break down again.

  He smiled more to himself than to her. For once in your life man, tell her how you really feel. No bogus deals. No fuck friend tale. Tell. Her. “No. You mean everything to me. You always have. And it’s time I start acting like it.”

  She opened her mouth, then closed it, and opened it again. “Oh, Jack.” A glint of surprise darkened her irises, and her full lips broke into the kind of smile that did things to a man’s heart—like roping it so tight he could barely breathe.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked as soon as he was able to string words together.

  “I… I had to talk to you. You know, Margo told me the truth. The lady in the picture is my mom, and my dad is my biological dad. They had a fling when they were teenagers, and she had to give me up for adoption but my dad insisted he adopted me. And my mom, being the crazy narcissistic she is, never allowed him to tell me the truth.”

  Jack drew back for an instant. Holy shit. No wonder she’d been riled up when they talked after Margo’s visit. What a hell of a messed up plan her parents had—lying to Lola all those years. “How are you?” he asked, wanting to hold her and yet knowing she needed the space between them to express herself fully.

  Lola waved her hands in the air. “You know what? I should be mad at her. I tried. But this whole thing just proves one thing. My father was my dad my entire life, and who cares that I never knew he was my birth father? He loved me. After his death I kept looking for something that would tell me more about myself. I’d gotten used to everyone else’s definition about who I really was and I wanted to find a way to define myself instead.”

  Hadn’t he been one of those folks? His throat clogged up. How many times did he assume the worst when it came to her? “Lola…”

  “I found myself here on this ranch. And tonight I’m making the choice to overcome my past and move on. I left you before.”
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  “I probably earned it. I pushed you because I didn’t wanna lose you.” His mother left him so what guarantee would he have that Lola wouldn’t too? He had hoped it would be different. But he’d followed a little too close in his father’s footsteps and ended up having her leave just the same. “I was stupid.” Magnus made some snoring sounds even though he was wide awake. Jack moved away from the pen, and every step drew him closer to her. Every step set a crazy record of heartbeats.

  She rubbed her hands together, and he could tell she was nervous. Anxious. Hopeful? “I wasn’t able to see a future for us because of my doubts. But now, I can’t see a future without you in my life.”

  Erasing the distance between them, he held her hands in his. Her palms were cold. “Do you mean that?”

  “Yes. When I last went to LA I realized that part of my life doesn’t make sense anymore. Nothing makes sense without you.”

  He took her into his arms, and kissed her hard. A tremor surged through his body, from head to toe. “I love you, Lola St. James.”

  She stroked his cheek. “I’ve waited for you to say this for longer than we both have known. I love you too, Jack Canyon. My stubborn yahoo. I love you lots.”

  “There’s another F we’ll be great at.” Besides fucking and fighting, he’d added to himself. Besides friends—while the only friends rule didn’t work, he’d appreciated having in her someone he could rely on. Trust. And love.

  “What is it?” she whispered, her eyes soulful.

  “Family,” he said, and captured her sweet lips with his. She linked her arms around his neck, tightly, as if she never wanted to let go. He held her close, for a long time just savoring the kiss, savoring the wonderful feel of her warm body against his. He’d never ever let go of her again.

  Looked like Fritto pie and champagne made a hell of a combo after all.

  Epilogue

  “And this, little Milton, is how you ride a horse,” Jack said, helping his four year old off the horse.