by Regina Duke
Kenzie dropped her head shyly. “I’m definitely serious about him. I hope he feels the same. He’s helping me clean up some trouble I left behind in Denver. And he’s been chauffeuring me back and forth from work and buying me gifts and roses.” She sighed, then realized Erin and Ashley were watching her closely. “Sorry,” she said, shaking off her reverie. “I guess you can tell that I adore him.”
“That’s a good thing,” said Erin. “Austin will be thrilled. Have you met his father yet? Austin always puts me on the phone after they speak their allotted fifty words to each other.”
“Fifty words?” Kenzie asked.
Ashley said, “She’s exaggerating. More like twenty-five.”
Erin laughed. “Well, Austin gets his lack of loquaciousness from his dad.”
Kenzie smiled. “I’m glad Clayton is a talker. Gee, do you think we should be doing something in the kitchen?”
Ashley shook her head. “Barbecue. Man’s work. Let them handle it. Goodness knows, I have tons of opportunities to be the cook and bottle washer.”
They chatted like old friends, and Kenzie was amazed at how comfortable she felt around so much wealth. Of course, Erin and Ashley had come from modest backgrounds, just like her, so the three of them hit it off right away.
Before she realized it, the morning was gone. From the window, they spotted Axel and Taylor driving up.
“I suppose we should go downstairs,” Ashley said reluctantly.
Just then, a woman’s strident voice floated up from below. “Where are you girls? I don’t want to miss anything.”
Ashley said quietly, “Okay, fun time’s over. Here comes my mother-in-law.”
Kenzie let that sink in for a moment. Clayton had warned her about Polly. She made a mental note to ask Ashley some questions when she got a chance.
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Polly was greeting Axel and Taylor at the front door. Thor stuck his head in from the deck and called out, “Steaks are ready! Hey, Axel, great timing.”
The food was delicious. Kenzie surprised herself by eating an entire steak. The meal started out on the deck, but soon everyone took their plates into the big kitchen because the weather was turning colder and grayer.
“Snow tonight?” asked Erin.
Kenzie responded like the local girl she was. “Not yet. Sky’s too dark. When it turns white, we’ll have snow.”
By the time dessert rolled around, Kenzie could tell that Polly was looking for an opportunity to corner her for a conversation. Just about then, Clayton took Kenzie’s elbow and said quietly, “It’s time to escape for a moment and get an update from Thor. He just hung up from talking to Ryan right before the steaks were ready.”
But Polly was having none of it. “Oh no, you boys go on and do your man thing. I want to talk to Kenzie. I need to get to know this young lady.” She took hold of Kenzie’s other elbow and pulled in the opposite direction.
Clayton’s eyebrows rose, and he glared at his aunt. Kenzie adopted a gracious tone. “Don’t worry, Clayton. I would love to talk to Polly. I need to learn a little bit about your family. Don’t you agree? You can fill me in on things later. Meanwhile, I promise to ask Polly for very embarrassing stories about your childhood.”
Polly laughed with delight. “Y’all come on, girl,” she said, letting every bit of her Texas upbringing show in her voice. “I have some things to tell you that you will not believe.”
Kenzie made an eek face, shrugged apologetically at Clayton, and let Polly pull her off to one side of the living room. Clayton nodded and silently mouthed the words, “I’ll fill you in later.”
Ashley and Erin bundled the children up against the cold and escorted them outside. Kenzie could hear little Odin screeching with joy as his tiny feet thumped back and forth on the deck. Austin was tagging along with his brother, and although Kenzie was beginning to wonder how many people were going to know about her problems, she decided that she really couldn’t expect Clayton to exclude Austin.
As a result, the great room was empty except for Polly and Kenzie. Polly steered her to the sofa and they sat down. After an awkward pause, Kenzie blurted, “It’s so nice to meet some of Clayton’s relatives.”
Polly raised one eyebrow. “Now are you just saying that? Or do you feel true affection for my nephew?”
Kenzie was taken aback. She tilted her head to one side. “Excuse me?”
Polly waved a hand in the air, and two Chihuahuas rushed toward her. She picked them up and put them on her lap. “I’m just trying to find out if your intentions toward Clayton are genuine.”
Kenzie frowned. “Shouldn’t it be my parents asking Clayton these questions?”
Polly laughed, but there was no real feeling behind it. She pinned Kenzie with a calculating look. “I just want to know whether you’re the special girl Clayton says you are or just a very clever opportunist. Lots of women in this world would do anything to marry someone about to become a billionaire.”
Kenzie’s eyes opened wide, and her mouth followed suit. After several seconds, she shook her head like someone coming out of a trance and stared at Polly as if the woman were insane. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” she said. “Clayton has told me that he does receive money from his father every month, but he doesn’t expect to see any funds coming other than that. He’s a very generous man, and I’m impressed with how he handles the income that he has. And he’s extremely concerned that his father thinks he’s a playboy. My feelings for Clayton have nothing to do with money or the lack thereof. He came into my life when I thought I would never trust a man again, and he has shown me that just because I had one horrible experience doesn’t mean that all men are creeps. I would love Clayton…” She paused, considering her words carefully. “…yes, I said it. I love Clayton with all my heart, and I would continue to love him if he were stone-cold broke. Does that help answer your question?” She tried to stay calm but realized her tone was growing more defensive with every word. She added, “I’m sorry, but I’ve never had anyone question my motivations before.”
Polly patted Kenzie’s knee. “I believe you,” she said. “You speak with conviction, and I pride myself on being able to read people well. So I hope you’ll forgive me for speaking so plainly. It’s just that… well, my brother, Plano, has been talking to me on the phone a lot this week because Clayton is avoiding him. And I can understand why because sometimes Plano can be really irritating. He’s a stubborn man and used to getting his way. He worries about his children and he wants the best for them, and when there’s a lot of money involved, some women’s motivations are not as pure as yours. If you get my drift.”
Kenzie’s brow creased in puzzlement. “I’m not sure I understand exactly what you’re saying,” she said. “I’m happy that you trust my motives, but are you asking me this because Clayton’s father is worried that I might take advantage of his son?”
“Well, it has happened in the past,” said Polly. “In fact, I was worried about Ashley when I first met her. After all, she was the one who told me that she and Thor were engaged. She just took over and pushed out his old girlfriend and I was worried that she was after his money. Granted, his daddy and I, as well as my brother, Plano, have much bigger bank accounts, and a lot more holdings than the kids do, but there will come a day when all that settles on our children. So we do worry a little bit when someone new comes into the family circle.”
Kenzie was pleased to hear herself described as someone in the family circle, but at the same time, she was horrified at the thought that Clayton’s family suspected her of being interested only in his future fortune. Whatever that might be. She busied herself by smoothing the wrinkles out of her long velvet skirt and asked, “Am I to assume that Clayton’s father thinks I’m faking my feelings for his son?”
Polly tossed her head as if that were a ludicrous question. “Oh no, sweetie, Plano is quite certain that there are many things about Clayton that you adore. He’s just worried that they have dol
lar signs attached. It wouldn’t be the first time that one of our children tried to fake a marriage in order to get their inheritance a few years earlier than planned.”
Kenzie was horrified. She put a hand to her mouth. She thought she might throw up. “Are you telling me that you think Clayton is courting me because he wants to fake a marriage with me and trick his father into giving him his inheritance?”
“Well, I hope not,” said Polly. “You, however, strike me as a bright young lady and maybe it’s good that I mentioned this, because I would hate for you to be deceived by Clayton.”
Kenzie felt the world slipping away beneath her. She became aware of a pain growing around her heart. It spread outward to her rib cage until she couldn’t breathe. She stood up and faced Polly. “I must say, I’ve learned a lot today. I suppose I should be grateful for your heads-up about Clayton. After all, it’s better that I know he doesn’t return my affection now, before I become more attached to him. You can tell him for me that he doesn’t have to worry about his inheritance. And you can tell that to his father as well.”
The sound of male laughter drifted in from the kitchen as the others returned from the deck. Kenzie turned to leave just as Clayton approached her. She saw him glance at Polly with a question in his eyes and then look at her with an even bigger question on his face. “Kenzie? What’s wrong? What happened?”
Kenzie pulled herself up to her full height, straightened her shoulders, and said, “I’m not interested in a fake relationship, Clayton. If that’s what this is all about, I’ll just handle my problems on my own. Thank you very much. Enjoy the truck you bought.” She turned and stomped out of the house, slamming the door behind her.
Out on the porch, she realized that a dramatic exit was impossible when one did not have transportation of one’s own. Since she didn’t have keys to the Mercedes, she crossed her arms and began pacing back and forth beside the car. What was she going to do? How could Polly say such things? She hadn’t asked Clayton for any help at all. Everything had been freely offered. Or had it? Was he really looking for someone to help him fool his father into thinking that he was settling down so he could get his inheritance? She couldn’t even believe that the word inheritance had been part of their conversation. The only thing Kenzie ever expected to inherit was a farm that she and her siblings would have to secure with a bank loan to afford the taxes. Her inheritance would come in the form of goats and pigs and whatever cattle her father had left. Her inheritance would be scrabbling to keep body and soul together, just like her family had been doing for generations.
She stopped pacing when she heard the front door of the house close again. She turned around to see Clayton rushing toward her. Uncertain about how to react, she bolted down the driveway. Clayton ran to catch up.
“Kenzie, what did Polly say to you? Never mind. I think I know what she said. This is all my father’s fault. He has this crazy idea that I’m looking for a fake bride so I can trick his lawyers into letting me have more money. I don’t care about that. I don’t care about my father's money. You have to believe me.” She kept walking and he kept pace beside her, trying to convince her. “Kenzie, please stop and let me talk to you. Please. I love you. I love you because of who and what you are. Because you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. Because the first moment I saw you, I suddenly realized that nothing else mattered.”
Kenzie stopped at last. She turned to face him, her hands balled into fists, and sputtered, “How could you lie to me? Haven’t I had enough pain in my life already? How could you take advantage of me at my weakest moment?”
Clayton took her shoulders in his hands and held her gently. “Kenzie, my feelings for you are genuine. Don’t you understand? My aunt Polly has a reputation for saying crazy things at the worst time. I’m telling you from the bottom of my heart how I feel. I adore you. I never want to be with another woman as long as I live. I want to help you. I want you to be able to move forward without worrying about the things that happened in your past. Please believe me.” He pulled her a bit closer, and she did not resist. Their lips were inches apart. Kenzie could feel Clayton’s breath on her lips. A moment later, he kissed her warmly.
The pain around Kenzie's heart began to dissipate, lifting like a dark cloud pushed by the winds of promise. The pain was gone, and now her heart fluttered on wings of joy. When the kiss ended, she threw her arms around his neck. “Oh Clayton, I was so upset. I was scared that you didn’t really love me. How could she say those things?”
“I guess now would be a good time to tell you that some people in my family are overly dramatic.”
Kenzie laughed out loud. Relief made her giddy. “Oh my God, Clayton. I thought I’d just lost you. I thought everything was over. I couldn’t bear to not have you in my life.” But she was still worried. “Does your aunt Polly really think that I’m after your money?”
Clayton smoothed her cheek with the palm of his hand. He pushed her hair back behind her ear and stared lovingly into her eyes. At that moment Kenzie thought her heart would explode from happiness.
He said, “Aunt Polly just talks. She talks all the time. Every time my father tells her something or gives her an idea about something, she goes off on a tear. She’s normally a kind, good-hearted woman. She’s been very sweet to me since my mother died. But you’ve got to ignore anything she said to you about our relationship. Can you do that? Can you accept the fact that I truly love you for who you are?”
Kenzie pressed her face against his neck and held him tight. When his arms wrapped warmly around her, she let all her concerns float away. “I’m so glad, Clayton. Because I love you, too. I don’t know what I would do without you. You’ve made such a difference in my life. I just want to be with you forever.”
Clayton hugged her even tighter and murmured in her ear, “That’s exactly what I want, too, Kenzie. I want us to be together forever. I didn’t even tell my father about you because of his suspicious mind.” He stepped back for a second, letting them both breathe. “In fact, when he said that to me—”
Kenzie was horrified. “He actually accused you directly of trying to fake a marriage?”
Clayton took her hands and kissed her fingers. “Yes,” he said, “that’s the kind of suspicious mind he has.”
“What did you say to him?”
Clayton gave her one of his mischievous looks and said, “I told him I would never let him meet you if that’s what he thought was going on. I told him we’ll give him a call after our first child is born.”
Kenzie laughed with delight, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him deeply. “Oh, Clayton, I love you so much.”
The special moment ended when Austin came running from the house. “Kenzie! The hospital just called! Your parents are in the ER!”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Clayton drove like a maniac from Thor’s cabin to Fineman Memorial. He tossed the keys to the valet parking attendant as Kenzie broke into a run toward the ER entrance.
Once inside, she danced from one foot to another in front of the reception desk. Half a dozen people sat in the waiting room, their faces tight with tension. A harried-looking nurse was talking on the phone behind the desk. At last she hung up and Kenzie asked, “Mr. and Mrs. Shane? I got a call that Mr. and Mrs. Shane are here in the ER?”
The nurse maintained her composure. “And you are…?”
“I’m their daughter, Kenzie Shane.”
The nurse lifted a different phone and spoke to someone in the back. “Kenzie Shane is here to see her parents.” A moment later she hung up and said to Kenzie, “Go right through those doors, dear. A nurse can direct you from there.”
Kenzie could barely contain herself as she pushed the double doors open. She could feel Clayton right behind her, and it was a great comfort. A nurse in blue scrubs waved her forward. “Come this way,” she said. “Your parents are in a treatment room.” She led the way through another set of doors to a long row of cubicle rooms that provided a small amoun
t privacy. “Here you go. Your mother is scheduled for surgery in the morning.” She smiled briefly, turned on her heel, and left.
“My mother?!”
John Shane was standing next to the bed, holding Marigold’s hand. She was festooned with tubes and an oxygen mask, and surrounded by an array of incomprehensible machines. Her eyes were closed and her face was very pale. John looked exhausted.
“Dad! When they called, I thought—”
He nodded. “I know, I know. Turns out I’ve been walking around with pneumonia. They already gave me antibiotics.”
“But Mom…?”
John patted Marigold’s hand and pulled Kenzie into a hug. “Your mother has had a heart attack.”
“Oh my God!” Kenzie hugged him back. She peered around his shoulder. “Is she awake?”
“She floats in and out. They’ve stabilized her, but the cardiologist says she needs surgery. First thing in the morning.” He acknowledged Clayton and shook his hand. “Thanks for bringing her over. I couldn’t call direct because she left her cell phone at home.” He released Kenzie and pulled her phone out of his pocket. It looked like a doll accessory in his large, calloused hand. “It kept dinging and dinging,” he said. “Your mother insisted on going upstairs and seeing if there was an emergency.” He shook his head. “That last climb up the stairs was too much. She came out of your room with the phone in her hand and collapsed on the landing. I called 911 and here we are.” He gave Kenzie the phone. She slipped it in her pocket.
“What kind of surgery does she need?” she asked, glancing toward her mother as she spoke. “Why is she so pale? Did she ever complain of chest pain?” She unconsciously reached for Clayton’s hand.
John shook his head. “No chest pains ever. But the doctor said that’s not uncommon for women. She’s been so tired for the last month or so. Even before you came home.” He dropped his head. “Wearing herself out tending to me. I should have done what she asked and went to the doctor. Walking pneumonia. That’s why I’ve felt so lousy. This is my fault.”