by C. C. Coburn
Megan shrugged, embarrassed at feeling like a kept woman. “Luke, I can’t take your money.”
“You’re my wife. How do you think you’re going to pay for groceries if you don’t have a credit card?”
“Aren’t the banks almost closed by now?” she said, trying to stall him. She didn’t want to get into the financial side of their relationship yet.
Luke faced Megan and took her hands, forcing her to look at him. “He’s staying late as a favor to me. I want to get this done today, Megan. It can’t wait until next week. So stop making excuses to avoid it.”
Feeling as if she’d been backed into a corner, she tried to make one more stand. “I have a debit card. I don’t need a credit card. It’s too easy to get into debt with one.”
“If you want to keep your debit card, then that’s fine. But we need to put money into your account. My bank manager can facilitate that.”
“Okay,” she conceded grudgingly. “I’ll just freshen up.” She turned to leave, hating to release Luke, but needing to get away from him. When he got up close like that, acting protective, it did things to her insides. Things she didn’t want to examine. Not now.
“And while we’re there, we’ll get you a credit card.”
Megan spun back, ready to deny she needed or wanted one, but Luke was already going out the screen door.
She hurried to her room, determined not to keep him waiting long.
AS LUKE HELD THE DOOR OPEN so Megan could precede him inside the bank, a man walked out.
“Gil,” Luke said. “How are you?” They shook hands.
“Fine, Luke. And you?” His curious gaze encompassed Megan.
Luke drew her toward him and said, “You might not have heard the news, Gil, but I got married yesterday. This is my wife, Megan.”
Gil smiled and offered his hand to Megan. “Congratulations and I’m pleased to meet you.”
“Gil McIntyre is an old friend and the ranch accountant,” Luke explained. “He keeps me on the straight and narrow. Doesn’t let me get carried away with buying too much stock.” He grinned. “I mean horses and cattle, not stocks and shares.”
Megan smiled dutifully. She found it odd that an accountant would presume to tell a rancher how to run his business, but since she knew so little about ranching so far, she didn’t inquire.
Several other people came out of the bank, and Luke and Gil moved aside to let them pass, continuing their conversation.
Luke checked his watch. “I think this stampede means they’re about to close, so we should get moving. I want Megan to meet Joe Hickey and have him set up a credit card for her.”
Gil frowned and looked at Megan. “You don’t ha—”
“Like I said, we’d better go,” Luke cut in. He pressed his hand against the small of Megan’s back, indicating she should go ahead.
Megan turned to say goodbye to Gil.
“It was nice to meet you,” she said.
“You, too,” Gil said with a smile. “You must come over sometime and meet my wife, Betsy.”
“Don’t get too friendly with her, Gil,” Luke said in a joking voice. “I might have to fire you soon. Megan’s studying accounting and when she’s qualified, I may just have her look after the ranch finances.”
Gil’s expression didn’t change, but Megan sensed a wariness. Was he worried about losing this job?
“You know you can’t fire me, Luke. Remember who found that error your previous CPA made in the accounts? And don’t forget the huge refund you got from the IRS when I filed that amended return.”
Megan felt that although Gil’s words sounded teasing, there was a mild threat beneath the surface.
Luke didn’t seem to notice anything awry. He laughed, clapped Gil on the back and said, “See you around, buddy. Say hi to Betsy for me.”
Inside the bank, Megan couldn’t shake her feeling abut Gil.
“Why did you cut him off earlier?” she asked.
“Because he was going to ask you why you don’t have a credit card and that’s none of his business.”
“But he’s your accountant!”
“And you’re my wife, not part of the fiscal structure of the ranch. Our business as husband and wife is ours alone.”
Although Luke’s words were delivered a little harshly, Megan experienced an incredible feeling of being protected, safeguarded by Luke.
Against her own wishes, Megan was starting to fall in love with Luke all over again.
WHEN THEY ARRIVED BACK at the house, Luke nodded toward the corral. “Want to come and see how Cody’s doing?”
“Okay, I’ll just tidy up here and see if Sasha needs any help.”
“About Sash. Can you go easy on her? She’s used to making a lot of the decisions around the house, so I’d appreciate it if you’d give her some space.”
Megan didn’t like his suggestion that she’d given Sasha a hard time. That was the last thing she wanted to do. And for heaven’s sake, the child was only twelve. Why did he allow a youngster to assume so much responsibility?
“I’ve worked that out already. Thank you,” she said coolly and, after collecting her things, left the kitchen.
LUKE WATCHED HER GO, her back held straight. Women! First Sasha snapped at him and now Megan. Hell. He was only trying to help her get along with her new step-daughter. He walked out, letting the door slam behind him. Who was he kidding? His son had barely exchanged three words with him this morning. Three words that weren’t cussing of one kind or another.
Cody hadn’t been happy about being dragged off to the barn last night, but there were a few ground rules around the ranch and Luke wasn’t prepared to cut Cody any slack where they were concerned. He’d seen Megan plead with her son to behave, seen how fearful she was of his reaction. Well, that was going to stop. Cody was going to be told and expected to obey—starting with the number-one rule. No cussing around the children and no cussing in the house.
He’d told Cody that he could cuss all he liked out in the paddock or the barn, provided he’d checked to make sure there weren’t any women or children around. He didn’t really like the idea of Cody using bad language at all, but figured the kid had to have some outlet for his frustrations. If he came down too hard on him and forbade all swearing, the kid was likely to ignore him altogether.
The second thing he’d pointed out was that Cody was part of the family now. That meant he had sisters to consider, not just himself, and he wasn’t to hurt them in any way.
Cody had looked puzzled. “I never hit anyone!” he protested.
Luke had put a hand on his shoulder. “I didn’t say you did—or would. I mean that you hurt Celeste’s feelings. She’s a sweet kid who’s never had a mom or a brother and she was very excited about meeting you. You didn’t have to snap at her like that.”
Cody had stuck out his bottom lip. “Yeah, well, I never had a sister before, either—or three of ’em—and I don’t like how nosy girls are and how they talk all the time.”
“Get used to it, son.” He liked the way the word sounded, even if he wasn’t too enamored of his son right now. “Other O’Malley men have managed to adapt to having women in their lives. They’re not too bad—once you get used to ’em.” He’d jerked his head toward the others. “Let’s go back and get something to eat.”
The mention of food had Cody’s legs moving in long strides—typical of the O’Malley men.
Since last night, though, Cody had studiously ignored him in a battle of wills. At least the kid had gotten back up on Killer the first time he’d fallen off. Luke had been watching one of the ranch hands teach Cody to ride. The kid had been about to give up and storm back inside, but then he’d spotted Luke and climbed back on.
Luke had smiled to himself and stayed around to watch some more. Daisy and Brian, the ranch hand, were patient with Cody, encouraging him and coaching him on how to stay in the saddle. After he’d watched Cody nearly fall off a few more times, he walked away. By then Cody was more hooked on le
arning to ride than competing with his father.
LUNCH CONSISTED OF LEFTOVER casserole on toast. Sasha had insisted on setting the table and reheating the casserole herself. She’d allowed Megan to make the toast.
“This is Daddy’s favorite Saturday lunch,” she told Megan in a tone that implied she’d better not mess up the toast.
“Sounds like your dad likes home-style cooking. What do you like to cook, Sasha?”
“Anything Daddy likes to eat.”
Megan thought that was a strange response. Didn’t Sasha want to cook things she liked to eat?
“What are we supposed to prepare for the barbecue tonight?”
“I’m defrosting steaks. And Uncle Will is bringing ribs. You don’t need to bother with anything.”
Megan had had just about enough. It was clear the girl resented her being there. Well, tough! Because Megan wasn’t going anywhere. Particularly after she’d seen the smile on Cody’s face when he’d called to her across the yard to show her how he could sit on the horse and even stay on when it cantered around the corral. Megan had climbed onto the rail fence and watched him ride Killer, and then Daisy had mounted a huge horse and opened the gate to the yard. Killer had trotted out—with Cody on his back—into the open fields!
What if Cody panicked? What if the horse took off? Daisy had slapped Killer’s rump and Killer took off at a slow canter. Cody held on, tossing his head back. His laughter came to her as they disappeared from sight.
“I’d like to bother, if you don’t mind, Sasha,” she said now. “I’d like to make some sort of contribution to this evening—to feel that Cody and I are part of your family.”
“You don’t have to. Everyone’s bringing something so you don’t need to do anything.”
Sasha was determined to shut her out, her resentment palpable. Megan couldn’t wait until she and Luke took that ride. She might suggest he have a long talk with Sasha—in the barn, if necessary!
She decided to change the subject. “How many people will be coming?”
Sasha picked up a knife and waved it in the air. Megan resisted the urge to duck. “Let’s see,” she said. “There’s four of us and two of you and Uncle Matt, Aunt Beth and Sarah. Uncle Jack and Uncle Will and Aunt Becky and their two kids. Uncle Adam isn’t coming so that makes…”
“Fourteen,” Megan said. “Counting the six of us.”
Sasha shot her a glare.
Megan pretended she hadn’t noticed. “Why won’t your uncle Adam be coming?”
“He lives in Boulder. He keeps to himself.”
“Sounds mysterious. What does he do for a living?” Megan was aware there were five brothers, but back when she’d known Luke, Adam had been in junior high.
Sasha was putting on a pan of water to boil and got out a packet of rice. Megan knew it couldn’t be for lunch so assumed she was making it for tonight. “He’s a firefighter.”
“And he’s not married?”
“No. Why? Are you interested?”
Megan was taken aback. “Interested in Adam?”
“Yeah.” Sasha turned toward her challengingly.
“Sasha, I’m married to your father. Of course, I’m not interested in his brother.”
“You could get it annulled. You haven’t slept together yet—except to have Cody. Uncle Adam’s awful good-look—”
“Sasha!”
Luke’s raised voice from behind the screen door shocked Sasha so badly she dropped the knife. It landed point down in the linoleum between Megan’s feet.
Luke practically tore the door off its hinges as he marched into the kitchen and stood over his daughter. “Apologize to Megan at once for that comment,” he demanded.
“Why should I? You don’t even know if he’s your kid! I heard you telling Uncle Matt!” she cried.
Megan felt her blood chill. Luke didn’t believe Cody was his? And he’d gone ahead and married her?
“That was before I went to New York, young lady!” he thundered. “Now, apologize to Megan!”
Megan held up her hands, trying to placate him. “Really, Luke, it doesn’t matt—”
Luke cut her off. “It does to me.” He turned on Sasha. “I won’t stand for it, young lady. Do you hear me?” he roared. But Sasha, equally implacable, scowled at him, making no move to obey.
“There is no doubt in my mind that Cody is my son and consequently your brother, so get used to it. Fast! And Megan is my wife, whether you think this is a real marriage or not.”
Megan wanted to cheer at his words. It felt so good to have someone standing up for her and her son. But on the other hand, Megan knew Sasha was hurting. She wanted to fold the girl in her arms, tell her everything would be all right.
“Then why aren’t you sharing a bedroom?” Sasha was apparently unfazed by her father’s rebuke. “People who are really married sleep together—or hadn’t you noticed that?”
“And people who aren’t married sleep together, too!” Luke ran his hand through his hair and got his voice under control. “The reason Megan and I don’t share my bedroom is none of your business, Sash. And it’s certainly none of your business to go suggesting she might want to run out on me—us,” he corrected, “and marry Uncle Adam.”
“How do I know you’re really married, then?” Sasha asked stubbornly. “Except for that dumb old ring you gave her, and that doesn’t prove you’re married. You should’ve asked if it was okay with us!” Tears filled Sasha’s eyes.
Megan’s heart went out to the girl, who believed her father had betrayed them by not asking their approval first. She placed a hand on Sasha’s shoulder but the girl shrugged it off. “Do you really mind that much, Sasha?”
Sasha whirled to face her. “’Course I do! I don’t want you coming in here and trying to be my mother, telling me what to do, taking over!” She turned back to her father. “You shouldn’t have brought them here! It’s going to ruin everything!”
Luke caught her heaving shoulders in his hands and pulled her against him. “It’s okay, sweetie,” he murmured. “I married Megan because it was the right thing to do. Cody needs a father. I wasn’t trying to replace your mom with Megan.”
Megan was aghast. What was he saying? That he wanted to be a father to Cody but didn’t want her being a mom to his daughters? They’d definitely better have a long talk after lunch! She slipped out of the kitchen unnoticed and went to her room.
If she’d had anything to pack, she probably would’ve packed it right there, grabbed Cody and then gotten as far from the ranch as possible. She didn’t need this. Didn’t need the teenage tantrums and the rejection and bad attitude. The hell with Luke and his need to play daddy. The hell with Cody demanding they get married. The hell with all of it! First thing Monday morning, she was going to see about an annulment because she wanted out! “Dammit!” she cried, picked up a pillow and threw it across the room.
“You gotta pay the penalty box,” a tiny voice said from behind her.
Megan spun around to find Celeste regarding her seriously, sweet little face puckered in a frown.
Her heart melted. If nothing else, this dear little girl needed her. Forget everything else. If she could make a success of being a mother to Celeste, then that would be enough for Megan. The rest of them would just have to live with it. She wasn’t going anywhere or getting any annulment, because Celeste needed her—and she needed Celeste.
Megan opened her arms and Celeste ran into them. She picked her up and cuddled her, loving her little-girl smell mixed with horse and something sweet and sticky that she was smearing on Megan’s cheeks as she kissed her.
“I love you,” Celeste said, and hugged Megan tight.
“I love you, too, sweetie.” Megan hugged her right back and wiped at her tears.
A polite cough from the door had Megan looking up to find Luke standing there. Sasha stood behind him.
He strode toward them. “She really does love you, you know.”
“And I really love her, too,” Megan said
, then glanced at the door.
Sasha stood there trying to look belligerent, her arms crossed as she lounged against the jamb.
“Sasha’s come to apologize,” Luke said. “Come in, Sash.”
“Luke, please, this isn’t necessary.” Megan could guess how humiliated Sasha felt being forced to apologize for her behavior. She knew Luke meant well but it would only serve to make things more difficult between the two of them.
Sasha sauntered into the room in much the same way Megan had seen Cody walk when his pride had been shattered. “You can make some dessert if you want,” she said.
Megan thought it was a strange apology but wasn’t going to point that out.
Celeste clapped her hands. “Oh, goody, we can make trifle!” She squealed and wriggled out of Megan’s arms. “Come on, Mommy, I’ll help you,” she said, grabbing Megan by the hand and trying to drag her out of the room.
“Sasha!” Luke’s voice warned again.
Megan broke in before Luke had a chance to say anything else. “Thank you, Sasha. I’d like that very much.” Ignoring Luke’s warning growl, she let Celeste pull her out of the room.
“YOU GOTTA BOIL the water for the Jell-O first,” Celeste was telling her as she got up on the table. “I’m not allowed to do that, so you’ll have to. Then I can help you make the cake, but you’ll have to open the cans of fruit.” She got down off the table again and went to select some canned fruit from the pantry.
Megan laughed. “Okay, Miss Bossy, I’ll boil the water. But I’ve never heard of Jell-O in a trifle before.”
“It’s Irish trifle,” she explained patiently. “Handed down through generations of O’Malleys.”
Megan smiled. “That sounds like something you’ve heard often.”
Celeste rolled her eyes. “Uh-huh.”
“Then I guess you’d better get me some Jell-O mix.”
“Oh, yeah.” Celeste got down and chose several different flavors from the pantry. “We can make lots of colors, ’cause there’s lots of us.”
Megan filled the kettle, and while they waited for it to boil, they opened several packets of Jell-O and placed the contents in bowls. “We’ll let it cool while we’re having lunch,” Megan said. “Then we can make the sponge cake. How about putting those cans in the fridge so they can chill during the afternoon?”