Will pored over the ledgers, invoices, and programs until Mrs. Coleman came knocking. It was already past noon, but it felt like only a few minutes ago that Elijah had left.
“You’ve been at this for nearly four hours,” she commented. “Would you like some lunch? I have some soup and sandwiches prepared.” Mrs. Coleman was tempting him.
“Sounds good.” Will closed the books and shut down the program before leaving the study.
Before they got to the kitchen, the front doorbell rang, and Mrs. Coleman went to answer it. Will went ahead into the kitchen, but he could hear the angry tones of a man’s voice, so he decided to listen. He stood nearer the archway in order to hear but not be seen. He didn’t wish to intrude on what could be a private conversation, but he wanted to be close by in case Mrs. Coleman needed assistance.
“I want to talk with him, damn it,” the man yelled. “Let him make the choice. If he doesn’t want to see me, then I will leave.”
“You will leave right now, or I will have you removed.” Mrs. Coleman wasn’t pulling any punches.
Will returned to the kitchen when he heard the conversation ending and Mrs. Coleman heading in his direction. “Everything all right?” he asked as Mrs. Coleman entered the kitchen. She looked worried and irritated.
“Oh, that was nothing, just a salesman.” Will had the feeling that Mrs. Coleman was lying, but why? Why would I care about some irate visitor? The man had sounded angry and was demanding to see someone, but Will was too far away to hear the entire conversation. The voice had sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t quite identify it.
“He sounded upset.”
“Salesmen usually are when they don’t get what they want.” Mrs. Coleman quickly changed the subject to her mother’s homemade strawberry jam recipe. It wasn’t a smooth change, and it left Will wondering what it was that Mrs. Coleman was hiding. He wished he’d tried harder to get a look at the man at the door.
After a tense, too-silent lunch, Will went to his room to think for a while. He paced the floor, desperately trying to figure it all out. Elijah’s games, Mrs. Coleman’s lie, what does it all mean? Where is it all headed? The guest room telephone line rang, and he just stopped and stared at it. It rang again, and he quickly grabbed the receiver, fully expecting to hear Katrina’s shrill tones on the other end. It surprised him when it was a man’s voice he heard.
“This is John Gerard,” he stated. His voice was as agitated as it had been at the door earlier. Will realized now why the voice had been so familiar.
“Yes,” he answered tentatively, curious as to why John was calling, but not really caring to speak to him.
“Just thought you might be interested in what people are saying,” he began.
“I doubt I’d be the least bit interested, Mr. Gerard.” He started to hang up when he heard John pleading for him to listen.
“It’s for your own good that I’m even bothering to call,” he insisted. “Elijah Hunter has it in for you, and believe me, it isn’t love.”
“What do you mean?” Will was hooked.
“He’s done this before. Elijah did this same thing to me about six years ago.”
“Did what?” Will was shocked and irritated at the same time.
“I was young and impressionable, and he preyed on me. He claimed to care for me, fucked me, and then sent me packing, saying he was teaching me a lesson about trust.” John was sounding a bit smug for some reason. “Elijah thought I was no good, you know, a gold digger like your sister.” Will sighed impatiently at his dig. “Elijah told my father that I cared nothing for him apart from what he meant to me financially.”
“If this was six years ago, then you were very young,” Will interjected.
“Young and impressionable. Elijah is a breathtakingly handsome man, and I stopped at nothing to get him to notice me. He still thought I was just like your….”
“Yes, I know, just like my sister,” Will cut him off. “Would you please get to the point?”
“He offered me a job and a room in his house. Elijah poured on the charm, and in less than forty-eight hours he had me in bed thinking I’d fallen in love with the most perfect man, but he played me for a fool.” John registered Will’s painful sigh and congratulated himself. “Shortly after that, Elijah sent me packing. It was quite the humiliating scene, Elijah cold and uncaring, me crying and begging him to let me stay. It was awful.”
“What happened afterward?”
“I went back home in shame after Elijah’s treatment. I couldn’t show my face anywhere for quite awhile.” John reveled in Will’s pain. He wished he could see his face. How could he so easily get the man John had pursued for so many years, only to have him rebuff every advance and treat him with nothing but contempt? He said I was a gold digger, he could see it written all over me. So what if I was, I could have given him so much, and he wanted none of it. If I can’t have Elijah Hunter than no one will, especially someone as plain and boring as William Drake. John swore he would destroy any chance Elijah and William had together. “I thought you should know. It looks like he’s doing the same thing to you.”
“Yes, it does.” Will sounded distant.
“I’d get out before the last act if I were you.” He drove home his fear.
“Thank you, I’ll think about it.” Will hung up the telephone.
It was all making clear and very painful sense. He’s pretending to care for me so that he can dump me later. He wants me to fall in love with him, and when I do, his plan goes into action. Suddenly, I’m not the center of his universe any longer. I’ll get the cold shoulder and the disinterested, demeaning glances. The mental and emotional abuse will come next, and it will all culminate in a painfully humiliating, probably public breakup. He remembered something that popped in his head when he first arrived: “You don’t mess with the Hunters and just walk away.” The statement rang truer than he thought.
Will sat down hard on the edge of his bed. He loved Elijah already; he might as well admit it to himself, even if no one else would ever know. He wished Eli had been the man he presented himself to be. How could he do such a horrible, hateful thing? His next thought was how to get through the next few days. He could leave early on the thirty-first, so all he had to worry about was the next couple of days. He knew all along that there was an ulterior motive to Eli’s behavior. He never believed, even for one minute, that Eli ever truly cared for him; so why did this revelation hurt so much? “I don’t deserve this,” he whined aloud to the empty room. Suddenly, there they were again: tears started streaming down his cheeks. He fought it for a few minutes, then, giving up, he buried his face in his hands and cried. He’d never cried as much in his life as he had since arriving here at the Hunter ranch. Will had always kept his emotions under tight control in order to avoid being hurt. Elijah had successfully loosened every restraint he’d placed on himself and now hurt was inevitable.
He could barely hear the little phone in his shirt pocket ringing, but he felt the vibration. Slowly, knowing full well who was calling, he answered, “Hello.” His voice was raspy and tight, which immediately caught Eli’s attention.
“What’s wrong, Will?” Elijah actually sounded concerned.
“Nothing.” He was too short. Eli knew something was wrong.
“What is it?” he demanded to know. “Did Katrina call you again?”
“No.”
“Did something happen?”
“No.”
“I’ll be right there.” He hung up before Will could tell him not to bother. He was coming back because he was upset—not likely. Eli just didn’t want him slipping off the hook before he was finished with him, that’s all. I should have played it cooler. Now he knows something is wrong, and he’s not going to give up until he is told something. He’d have to come up with a believable story before Eli arrived. He looked in the mirror. His eyes were swollen and red, as were his cheeks. It was obvious he’d been crying. Will would have to pull himself together quickly.
Elijah snapped his phone shut and ran to his Jeep. “I have to leave,” was all he said to Martin and Steven as he sped away toward the ranch house. There was something in Will’s tone that alarmed him. He was trying to be cold and distant, but underneath Eli could hear pain. He had to find out why. He only had a few days left to convince Will that he belonged here, that he belonged with him. He finally admitted to himself that he was desperately in love with William Drake. It came as quite a shock, considering he thought he was simply testing him in order to discern his involvement with the blackmail plan.
When he threw out that marriage proposal, there was a very large part of him that wished Will had said yes regardless of his motives. If he wanted a rich husband, good, he could give him that. He was beginning not to care whether Will was a gold digger or a fortune hunter or whatever else was out there, all he cared about now was whether Will could love him. Would he be able to forgive Eli for his treatment of him, his distrust? He had a long road to go to gaining back his trust. He swore he wouldn’t let anything or anyone get in the way. The Jeep was barely stopped when he jumped out of it and ran for the house. People in the yard saw him and knew something was seriously amiss. He checked the study first and then he waved off Mrs. Coleman, who was surprised to see him so early, and took the stairs two at a time. Will’s door was slightly ajar so he pushed it open and entered.
“William,” he called.
Will came out of the bathroom and gave him a glance and then walked over to the window. Eli followed behind him. He noticed the pale complexion and the red, swollen eyes.
“Why are you crying? What is it?” His tone was soft but commanding.
Will hunched his shoulders in that universal I-don’t-know gesture. Will couldn’t find his voice, and he feared if he tried to speak the sound would be cracked and unnatural. Elijah took Will by the shoulders and gently turned him to face him. He smoothed his hair back from his face and kissed him tenderly.
“What’s wrong?” he pressed. “Whatever it is, I’ll help you. Just tell me.” He seemed so genuine, so caring, that Will shook his head and melted against him. Eli gathered him closely in his arms and pressed him to his chest. Will wasn’t crying, but he was shaking with the emotional control it took not to cry. Elijah cradled William against his chest, holding, rocking, and soothing him with kind words of support and reassurance. “Why were you crying?” he asked again. Will remained snug in his arms as Eli continued to comfort him with his words and his touch.
“I don’t know,” he lied. His voice was barely there.
“You don’t have to worry about Adam Gerard,” Eli told him. “He agreed to deal with John, so I agreed to continue our business. I’ll treat him no differently than I have in the past.” At the mention of the Gerard name, Will stiffened and became very still in his arms. “Has John bothered you again?”
“No, of course not,” he lied again. “Maybe it’s just stress.” Will knew it was a feeble attempt at an explanation, but it was all he could come up with. He wasn’t about to tell Eli he knew the truth, that the jig was up. What would he do then? Eli would take his land, his home, and toss him out. That was what he would do. I might as well play this through to the end, he thought. Maybe he would let Will go if he didn’t succumb to his charms. His thoughts were coming in erratic bursts.
Elijah did not believe Will’s tears were due to stress. It was an excuse, but he would let it go for now. Will apparently wasn’t ready to tell him the truth. He would discover the truth in due time and whatever it was, he would take care of it. “It’ll be okay, Will, I promise.”
How easy it would be for me to lose myself in him and in the end… what? What would he do if I told him now how much I love him? If I told him how much I want to be with him, would he do what he did to John and just toss me out? It was anyone’s guess. One thing, of which he was certain, was the fact that Eli’s present behavior toward him was contingent on him never finding out that Will had fallen for him.
“I have a couple of errands to run.” He stepped back from Will slightly but continued to hold him. “I would like you to come with me. The fresh air will do you good.” Will agreed, for the simple reason that he, too, thought the fresh air would do him good.
They took the Land Rover and again, like the morning they had breakfast at the café, Elijah bundled up his coat for Will to sit on. In the process of attending to his errands, he also gave him a tour of his estate and explained all of the Hunter businesses and holdings outside of the ranch itself. Will had come across most of this information while going through Eli’s books, but his descriptions made everything so real. He talked and acted as if Will needed to know all of these things, as if it were going to be a part of his future. If he came onto John like this, no wonder he fell for him. Will knew the whole truth and yet even so, he was still tempted to believe. Will nodded and commented appropriately, as if he were taking all of this seriously.
Eli introduced him to everyone they met. What caused him the most dismay was the fact that he introduced Will as his fiancé. One man even ventured to ask if they’d set a date. Elijah smiled and told him next Saturday. The man shook his hand and wished them well.
“You shouldn’t have told him that,” he said, in agony over the embarrassment.
“Why not?” He grinned at Will’s discomfort. “As far as I’m concerned, you and I are getting married, and next Saturday is as good a time as any.” He laughed aloud at the look on Will’s face.
“You never quit, do you?”
“I never quit.” His tone became deadly serious. “Especially when it involves something as important as my future happiness.”
Wow, his future happiness depends on whether he can make me pay, in spades. The thought was deeply troubling.
When they returned to the main house, Will apologized for disturbing his work day. Elijah took his hand and told him sincerely that his day couldn’t have been nicer. “I would gladly spend every day with you, William.” He stopped suddenly, as if remembering something, and turned to Will, capturing his gaze and holding it with his intense blue eyes. “Don’t ever hesitate to come to me if you have a problem. I’ll be there, I’ll always be there.” He spoke with what appeared to be adoration with a touch of desperation.
Will silently congratulated him again on his impeccable acting skills. That declaration really sounded heartfelt. A disquieting thought struck him just then. What I wouldn’t give for all of this to be real. He pushed it aside. He had no time to be contemplating defeating thoughts like that one. Saturday will arrive, he reminded himself, and life will return to normal. Not half as exciting, but normal.
Mrs. Coleman met them at the kitchen archway. “I have just made a fresh pot of coffee. Would you like to join me?” she asked them both, but Will specifically.
“You go ahead,” Elijah said to Will, who very much wanted a hot cup of coffee. “I have some things to attend to.”
Mrs. Coleman and Will disappeared into the kitchen, and Elijah headed for his study. Gone was his previous good humor, and a dark malevolence had taken its place. Will’s tears were weighing heavy on his mind. The reason had to involve someone else; otherwise he would have told him. He’s very forthright with his opinions. He must be protecting someone. He had to find out who it was, and the first name that jumped to mind was Katrina.
“Hello,” Katrina answered, timid and wary. The housekeeper had informed her it was Elijah Hunter calling for her. She didn’t have a clue as to what he wanted, but she knew from experience that she’d better prepare herself for the worst. Elijah didn’t make courtesy calls.
“What have you been saying to William?” he shouted.
“Nothing.” Katrina was severely taken aback. “I haven’t said anything.”
“Did you call here earlier? Don’t lie, I can easily find out.” His tone was sharp and cold.
“I called yesterday, or rather last night. I haven’t contacted him today, I swear.” Katrina was very bothered by his accusatory manner
. It was one thing to lie and have no one believe her, but it really grated her to tell the truth and have no one believe her. “What’s the matter, maybe I can clear it up?”
“He was crying this afternoon, and he won’t tell me why.” He paused when he heard Katrina’s startled gasp.
“Will was crying?” Katrina laughed. “You must be having quite the effect on him. I have never seen Will cry. In my whole life, I have never seen a single tear.”
Elijah was troubled by her lack of concern and by her obvious gaiety over her brother’s sadness. He disliked this girl more than any human being in his life. If it wasn’t for the fact that he was desperately in love with her brother, he would have taken great pleasure in destroying her. He abruptly hung up. He could not stand to speak with her another moment. She knew nothing. William would never confide in that creature.
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