The Reluctant Heiress

by Sara Orwig

  * * *

  Tuesday she flew to New Mexico. She hurt badly over Garrett and missed him more than she had dreamed possible. He hadn’t called and she assumed he was breaking things off with her now since she would not live with him.

  Wednesday morning she drove to her isolated cabin outside Questa. The caretaker’s two dogs came and stayed with her. The afternoons were warm, and the mountain air crisp. She set up her easel to paint outside with the two hounds coming to lie in the sun by her.

  She tried to paint, but it was impossible to concentrate. She kept thinking of Garrett, knowing she still could change her mind about moving in with him.

  He would soon go to Colorado. She missed him terribly and the nagging knowledge that she could have been with him for another wonderful weekend plagued her. Should she just take chances on life? She could compromise to a degree without moving in, instead of basically cutting him out of her life. Garrett wasn’t Argus Delaney or anything like him. She should stop basing her life now on what happened when she was growing up.

  She sat in the chair she had placed outside near a tall spruce. She loved Garrett with all her heart, so why not take a chance with him? Life was full of risks—maybe this one was worth taking.

  It was worth it. Garrett was worth risking her heart.

  Her cabin was out of cell phone range and she usually loved the peace and quiet, but this time, she was restless, steeped in memories of Garrett and missing him every minute until she packed up late Friday and hurried back to Santa Fe, anxious to hear from him.

  She discovered she had no messages from him.

  * * *

  Taking off work Garrett flew to Colorado on Wednesday and spent Thursday on the slopes. That night he met friends at a pub, but his heart was not in the evening and he couldn’t keep focused on conversations around him. There were women in the group he knew, but he had no interest in even talking to them.

  Repeatedly, he reached for his telephone, only to drop it back into his pocket. He missed Sophia far more than he had expected to miss her. What was it about her that made her different from any other woman he had known?

  She was beautiful, intelligent, sexy, fun to be with, talented—her own person. Garrett finally said farewell to his friends, grabbed his coat and went back to his place. He built a roaring fire, got a cold beer and sat looking at the flames as he sipped the beer. Was marriage totally out of the question with her?

  He had planned to stay single until he was older, putting off a family until later. But why? He was already enormously wealthy as she had pointed out. He loved making furniture. What would happen if he changed his life? He had been a workaholic all his adult life. Will and the Delaneys would manage without him— There were other people capable of doing the job he did.

  Sophia had made him look at his life in a different way, to consider the possibilities. The thought of change was exciting, but he could only think about it in terms of her. He wanted her with him if he changed.

  Actually, he wanted her with him whatever he did. Marry Sophia whether he stayed at Delaney Enterprises or not. Marry Sophia and have her in his bed every night. Spend his time with her. Was it so impossible? Why not change his timetable? He loved her. He had known he did and tried to ignore how strongly he felt for her. For the first time in his life he was deeply in love.

  This week had been pure hell and the thought of her going on her way, finding someone else who would ask her to marry—it was an intolerable notion that made his insides churn.

  He grabbed his phone to call her and got nothing. He couldn’t leave a message, couldn’t even get a ring tone. He tossed his phone across the room and stood up to move closer to the fire while he took a drink of beer. If he had asked her to marry him, she would be with him here now. He drew a deep breath.

  He retrieved his phone and called his pilot to see what the weather looked like to fly back to Dallas Friday morning. He couldn’t enjoy Colorado and didn’t care to stay another night.

  After he made arrangements he tried Sophia again and had the same results. He hated being separated from her.

  He sat in front of the fire again, thinking about his future and making plans to see her. How long would she be in New Mexico? He had no idea how to find her, but then he realized Edgar might know where the cabin near Questa was located.

  Garrett couldn’t wait for morning to come. He watched the flames, but saw only images of Sophia, memories spilling through his thoughts of their lovemaking, of being out with her, of dancing with her. He ached to hold her and be with her again and didn’t want to spend another weekend like this one.

  What was she doing? He couldn’t stand to try to guess, hoping she wasn’t out with friends the way he had been, meeting guys, seeing some she already knew.

  He groaned and tried to think about something else.

  He opened his phone and looked at her picture that he loved. That moment had been special, unforgettable. Her hair swirled around her head and she had a huge smile while she looked up with snowflakes on her lashes and cheeks. He wished he had never let her go to New Mexico. How long would she be where he couldn’t contact her?

  Friday morning he flew back to Dallas, getting in that afternoon. He spent one more night in deep thought about his future. One more night missing Sophia more than ever. During his time away from her, the hurt and loss were growing stronger instead of diminishing.

  He had had time for a lot of thought. He wanted Sophia back in his life. Now if he could just convince her and do what he needed to do.

  He left his home to drive to downtown Dallas. He had a list of things to do today and one of the first was to call Edgar and find the woman who would be his wife.

  * * *

  Sophia flew home Saturday, arriving in the afternoon. She had had time to think things over away from Garrett. She missed him dreadfully. She showered and changed and then called Garrett on his cell phone.

  When he answered, she drew a deep breath. She closed her eyes and thought about him, seeing his gray eyes and locks of brown hair on his forehead.

  “Garrett.”

  “I’ve tried to call you,” he said.

  “Sorry, but you can’t get through where my cabin is. I’m home now in Houston.”

  “I’m glad,” he said, sounding as if he really meant it.

  “I’ve missed you,” she said.

  There was a long silence that made her heart lurch and wonder if she had waited too late to call him. “Garrett, I want to talk to you,” she said. “And not on the phone. I want to talk in person. What plans do you have?”

  “Nothing that can’t wait.”

  “Can we meet somewhere?” she asked. “I can fly to Dallas tonight.”

  “I think we can find somewhere easier than that.”

  “I don’t mind. I want to talk to you as soon as I can.”

  “You sound anxious, Sophia,” he said.

  “I want to see you,” she repeated. “Where can we meet?”

  “It’s not too private, but how about your front door?” he asked, startling her. She leaped up and looked out the front window.

  “Garrett!” she cried, dropping the phone and racing downstairs to the front door, throwing it open.

  Patiently waiting, looking slightly amused, Garrett lounged against the door frame.

  “Garrett,” she cried again and grabbed his arm to pull him inside, throwing the door closed as she wrapped her arms around him to kiss him. His leather jacket was cold, but underneath he was warm.

  For a fleeting moment he stood still. Frightened that she had waited too late to get back with him, she stilled. Then his arms wrapped tightly around her and he picked her up off her feet.

  “Sophia, I’ve wanted you. I missed you incredibly.”

  She kissed him, holding him tightly, overjoyed he was in her arms. She leaned away slightly. “Garrett, I was wrong. I should take a chance on us. If you still want me, I’ll move in with you and we’ll try. I don’t want to be alone like I was
this week ever again.”

  “Ahh, Sophia. It’s way too late for this moving in business,” he said. “I’ve made my own plans.”

  “What?” she asked, wondering what he had done during their week apart to make him say such a thing.

  Releasing her, he stepped back, reaching into his pocket. Her breath caught. Was he telling her goodbye? How could he say goodbye and kiss her the way he had? Why was he here if he intended to tell her goodbye?

  “Garrett, what—”

  He grasped her hand. “Sophia, I love you. Will you marry me?” he asked and held out a dazzling ring.

  Eleven

  Her heart raced and excitement electrified her. She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him. “Yes, I will. I love you and yes, I will,” she said, watching him slip the ring on her finger.

  She turned to kiss him and he pulled back slightly. “You’re crying.”

  “Tears of joy,” she said, kissing him and ending their talk for a moment.

  “Are you home alone?”

  “I don’t have a staff like you do,” she laughed, pulling his head down to continue kissing him. Clothes were tossed aside and in minutes, Garrett picked her up. She locked her long legs around him as she kissed him and they made love passionately.

  When she finally stood again, he picked her up and carried her upstairs to her bedroom. As he climbed, she looked at her ring. “I’m impressed with you for carrying me up the stairs. But I’m more impressed with my beautiful, gorgeous, perfect ring. It’s wonderful and so are you.” She tightened her arms around his neck and smiled at him. “This is paradise. I missed you beyond anything you can imagine.”

  “I missed you, too,” he replied. “I want to marry as soon as possible and then I want to take you on a long honeymoon where I’ll have you all to myself. You can’t imagine how I missed you, Sophia. I don’t want to let you out of my arms.”

  “Well, you’ll have to do that eventually, but hopefully not for too long.”

  “When would you like to get married?” he asked with a smile.

  “Soon. I don’t have family to worry about, except the Delaneys, and they won’t care what we do.”

  “They’ll help. Let’s pick a date. I want to rush this.”

  “I agree.” She looked up at him. “Garrett, how did you know I was home?”

  “I was going to fly to New Mexico and go to your cabin to propose. I called Edgar to get directions and he told me you were here.”

  “I was getting ready to fly to Dallas to see you.”

  “Then I’m glad we got together before you ended up in Dallas while I was here.”

  He placed her on her bed and lay beside her, pulling her into his embrace to kiss her again.

  Minutes later she slipped off the bed, crossing the room to her closet to get a robe. Finding a calendar, she returned to sit on the bed. He pulled the sheet over his lap and propped himself up beside her.

  “Now let’s look at dates,” she said.

  “And then we’ll call the Delaneys. I’ll ask Will to be my best man.”

  “I just realized—you don’t even know my close friends.”

  “I look forward to getting to know them. The big question is, how soon can we do this?”

  She studied the calendar. “By spending a little more, I imagine I can have a hurry-up wedding. How’s two weeks from yesterday? The second of November?”

  “I don’t want to wait that long, but I will because I want you to have the wedding you want.”

  “So now I’ll live in that castle you call home. I’ll need a map.”

  He laughed. “Tomorrow we can start making plans to build you a studio.”

  “We’ll build me a studio while you think about retiring from Delaney Enterprises and building furniture so we can work at home together.”

  “We might not get much work done.”

  “Sure we will. Think about it.”

  “Actually, I have, a little. I might move it up on my timetable to a few years from now. In the meantime, it’s a good hobby.”

  “If that’s what you want. All I want is what makes you happy.”

  “You make me happy.” She looked at him as he talked. His brown hair tumbled in a tangle. He looked fit, strong and handsome. He would soon be her husband—a forever marriage as long as they both would live. Love for him filled her and she placed her hand on his cheek. He stopped talking to focus on her.

  “What?”

  “I love you, Garrett Cantrell.”

  “I love you, Mrs. Garrett Cantrell-to-be.”

  “What happened to your plans to stay single?” she asked, studying him.

  He smiled and caressed her cheek. “I met an incredibly beautiful, sexy woman and I had to have her in my life always, so—voilà—marriage.”

  She laughed and kissed him. When she sat back, she held out her hand to look at her ring, which reflected the light, sparkling brightly. “Garrett, this is the biggest diamond I’ve ever seen.”

  “I wanted something to impress you and to please you and to indicate how much you mean to me,” he said.

  She tossed the calendar on the floor and turned to straddle Garrett as she hugged and kissed him. He playfully shoved her on the bed and rolled over on top of her.

  Their wedding plans were temporarily forgotten.

  Epilogue

  On the second day of November, Sophia stood in the lobby of a huge church filled with guests. The wedding was being held in Dallas since Garrett knew far more people in Dallas than she knew in Houston. The weeks since his proposal had been so busy, she had barely had a moment alone with him. There was a dreamlike quality to the morning. It was strange to think that this was her wedding day.

  She carried a bouquet of white orchids and white roses that complemented her plain white satin wedding dress. Edgar had his arm linked with hers and would give the bride away. Before she started down the aisle, he leaned close to speak softly.

  “You’re ravishing, Sophia, so lovely. I know your mother would be delighted and happy for you.”

  “Thank you, Edgar,” she said, smiling at him.

  Trumpets blared and Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” began. Her gaze went to her tall, handsome husband in his black tux. He took her breath away and she felt as if she were floating down the aisle.

  Will was best man while Zach and Ryan, plus two close friends of Garrett’s, were groomsmen. Her bridesmaids were all friends, and she had asked Ava to be matron of honor.

  The bridesmaids and Ava wore simple pale yellow dresses with spaghetti straps and straight skirts. They carried bouquets of mixed fall flowers.

  At the altar, Edgar placed her hand in Garrett’s. His warm fingers closed around hers and his gray eyes held love.

  They repeated their vows. He kissed her briefly and then they were introduced as man and wife, hurrying back up the aisle together. Her heart pounded with eagerness and joy. She was Garrett’s wife, to have and to hold from this day forward. Happiness made her feel radiant.

  They patiently posed for pictures and finally left for the country club and the reception. In the limo, Garrett pulled her into his arms to kiss her.

  She kissed him, holding him tightly. “I love you, my handsome husband.”

  “I love you, Sophia. This is wonderful,” he said, giving her a squeeze.

  They kissed again and then she set about to straightening her dress, despite his best efforts to keep it askew. In minutes they climbed out and joined the reception.

  Garrett had the first dance with Sophia. She still felt as if she were floating on air. “I can’t stop smiling, Garrett. This is the happiest day of my life.” He held her lightly, and she longed to touch his hair, brush it back in place, but she kept her hands to herself.

  “I’m glad. I can say the same. You’re stunning, Sophia. I have the most beautiful bride ever.”

  She laughed. “I know you’re biased or blind, but I’m glad you feel that way.”

  “I wish my parents had known you
, and known about our marriage. That would have pleased both of them. Dad would have been impressed by your business sense. Mom would have loved you.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t know them, too. And my mother would have been so happy because I’m happy.”

  “And very married. No danger of you being treated the way Argus treated her.”

  She smiled at her handsome husband and thought how wonderful to be married to the man she loved.

  The music ended and she danced the next dance with Edgar.

  “I’m happy for you, Sophia. This is truly wonderful and I like Garrett. I heartily approve.”

  “I’m glad, Edgar. I love him very much. How do you like my new family?”

  “They’re nice men and I think they are delighted to find you and have you marry their friend.”

  “I hope so.”

  She glanced across the room to see Garrett talking to the Delaneys. They were all handsome men. Zach had rugged looks, but his riveting blue eyes were as distinctive as Garrett’s gray ones. Ryan was laughing at something one of them said. She was thankful that she had changed her mind— She had some wonderful half brothers now. The more she got to know them, the more she liked them, and Ava was quickly becoming a good friend.

  Later, Will asked her to dance. As they began to move across the floor, he smiled at her. “We are all happy for you and for Garrett. We had to push and argue to get him to meet you for us, so this justifies our actions.”

  Smiling, she knew Will was teasing. “Now I’m glad you did. It’s been wonderful to get to know all of you.”

  “Good. You’re getting a great guy for a husband.”

  She glanced across the dance floor to see Garrett talking to Ava. “I know I am. I love him more than I thought possible.”

  “I wish you all the happiness in the world,” Will said.

  “Thank you,” she replied, smiling at him.

  “I see your new husband headed this way.”

  She danced with Garrett and then Ryan appeared at her elbow to ask her to dance. Unable to dance because of injuring his foot, Zach had given her a toast earlier. Now he sat on the sidelines while he talked to friends.