Do You Take This Enemy?

by Sara Orwig

  Julian pulled out a large, colorful book about bears and as Ashley began to read, Julian scooted close to her. He turned the pages for her, and she realized he had the book memorized. As soon as she finished the book, she laid it aside on the coffee table. “Now which one shall we read, Julian?”

  “I want this one,” he said, fishing out a book about a dragon.

  Ashley put her arm around him and began to read, suspecting that the minute her father met Julian, all his protests about this marriage would vanish.

  When Gabe returned, he paused in the doorway while he watched Ashley read to his son. A lump came in his throat because he knew Julian had been a lonely little boy without a mother to care for him. Lou was a good nanny and full of life, helping Julian, but Lou wasn’t around a lot of the time. He hoped that Ashley would be a good mother for him.

  Julian touched the bracelet on her arm. “What’s that?”

  “My bracelet,” she said. “Do you want to see it?” She shook it off her arm and handed it to him and Julian turned it in his small hands and handed it back.

  “You smell pretty,” he said.

  “Thank you, Julian,” she said, brushing locks of hair off his forehead.

  He tapped the book. “Read.”

  As she continued reading about the dragon, Gabe saw that Julian was enthralled. Gabe entered the room quietly and sat down near them. Ashley gave him a look, but continued reading. He didn’t think Julian even noticed him.

  When he had started this, Gabe had expected a business arrangement, but now he wanted more. Ashley had been hurt in Chicago—was she ready to love again? Could he love again? He thought about their kisses and knew there was a magic chemistry between them that made him want her desperately. Now he saw that she might be a mother to Julian. And he knew he could be a daddy for her baby.

  She glanced up and met his gaze and it was as if she had touched him. Without a word being said he felt tension snap between them. How could she be sexy at seven months pregnant? But she was. With a look, she could get his heart pounding.

  He crossed the room to shove books away and sit down beside his son. After a few minutes, as Gabe watched, Julian reached up to touch her hair. She smiled at him and continued reading. After the fifth book, Gabe reached over and closed the book.

  “That’s enough for right now,” he said to his son. “Ashley gets a break, and we’re going to eat dinner.” He looked over Julian’s head at her. “Come into the kitchen while I toss some steaks on the grill.”

  Julian hopped down and went to get more toys to show Ashley.

  “You’ve won over father and son,” Gabe informed her.

  “My ranch has won over the father and my reading the son. Neither one really means a lot in the long term.”

  “You’ll see,” he said.

  Gabe tried to entertain her through supper and let her get to know Julian. Afterwards they went outside to play with Julian and after Gabe had put his son to bed, he sat making plans with Ashley.

  She paused to look at him solemnly. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

  “It’s happening,” he said quietly, reaching over to squeeze her hand. “Let’s announce it and tell the relatives and stand our corner of the world on its ear.”

  She laughed. “I’m game!”

  “Good!” He pulled her into his arms to kiss her hungrily, and Ashley returned it, winding her arms around his neck. Gabe’s pulse pounded while he gloried in her soft mouth and her hot kisses that caused him to break out in a sweat. She finally pushed away and he released her instantly.

  “I should go home now. You should have let me drive myself over here because now you have to get Julian up to take me home.”

  “Watch—Julian will sleep through the whole thing.”

  An hour later Ashley closed the door in her bedroom and stood with her eyes closed, remembering Gabe’s kisses, his words, his flirting through dinner, remembering his prediction that their marriage would be good and so much more than either expected. Could she trust him? Was he being sincere? Was he really more interested in her than in her ranch? Only time would tell. She thought about the moment when he had said that her looks hadn’t entered into his plans. She knew he had a side to him that was ambitious and unyielding.

  She had to keep her wits about her with the lawyer. She’d better keep her wits about her through everything. And Julian—Gabe’s son was adorable. Julian made Gabe’s proposition even more appealing. A little boy in her life and a new baby girl. A husband who might fall in love with her. Was she being a fool again to trust him?

  The next cloud was telling her relatives. How was she going to break the news to a family who hated Brants?

  Six

  On Saturday, Ashley, her father, her aunts and uncles and three teenage cousins were gathered in the dining room for lunch.

  Ashley looked around the table at her relatives, thinking about each one.

  Dark-skinned with black hair streaked with gray, Dusty Ryder was the second-oldest brother and owned a large ranch in the neighboring county. In spite of being younger, Dusty’s health wasn’t any better than her father’s, and he had had to cut back on his work and hire more men.

  Colin Ryder was next in line and had a ranch adjoining Dusty’s. Colin had had his run of bad luck with a devastating fire and no insurance.

  Cal Ryder, a dentist who lived in San Antonio, was the youngest. Although the four brothers resembled each other more as they aged, Cal was the least like the others, with his blond curly hair that didn’t hold a hint of their Apache heritage. All four men were over six feet; Dusty was six feet and eight inches. Other than Cal, the brothers had straight, jet-black hair and all of them had dark-brown eyes, along with the brown skin of their father.

  Dusty’s wife, Kate, smiled at Ashley and Ashley returned her smile. Her Aunt Kate had always been fun to be around, and Ashley had a close bond with her. Colin’s wife, brown-haired Cordelia, was wrapped up in her own children and her hobbies. Two of her children, Brett and Ginger, both teens, were present. With diamonds glittering on her fingers, Lucy, Cal’s wife, and Jed, their sixteen-year-old son, were present.

  Ashley knew that with the wives and children present to keep a lid on the uncles’ tempers, this was the best moment she would ever have to give her news. Even though her father had planned to make an announcement about her engagement after the family finished eating, she wanted to take responsibility for breaking the news. She clinked her spoon against her glass and stood.

  “I want to make an announcement.”

  “Ashley,” Quinn said swiftly, standing. “Let me tell everyone. They’re my brothers. Sit down, honey.”

  Faces filled with curious expressions swivelled back and forth between Quinn and Ashley. Wanting to avoid further argument, she sat down.

  “Now first,” Quinn said, “I want you to remember Ashley is only two months from the due date for her baby. I don’t want anyone upsetting her. Is that clear, Dusty? Cal? Colin?”

  “We’re not going to upset Ashley,” Dusty said. “Since when have we ever done that?” he asked, looking at Ashley.

  “Not ever, Uncle Dusty,” she answered and smiled at him, knowing there might be a first in their lives soon.

  “All right, here’s the news. Ashley is marrying Gabriel Brant.”

  There was silence until Dusty exploded. “You can’t! Dammit, you can’t marry a Brant!”

  Then all the uncles were talking at once, Kate trying to get Dusty to stop, Lucy and Cordelia talking, too. The din was loud and the three teen cousins stared round-eyed and openmouthed at Ashley.

  “Cool!” Ginger exclaimed. “Gabe Brant is good-looking—” The rest of her words were drowned out.

  The air was blue with foul language and shouting. Dusty had shoved back his chair so suddenly that it overturned. All three uncles were on their feet and then her father was in a confrontation with Dusty. Ashley hurried to step between them.

  Her Uncle Colin caught her arm and pull
ed her back. Kate put her arms around Ashley and Ginger moved beside her and they hurried Ashley out of the room.

  “I don’t need to run out of here, Aunt Kate. I don’t want to leave Dad. You know what a bad week he’s had.”

  “Your father doesn’t let his younger brothers get him too worked up. Let them rant and rave and get it out of their systems. You don’t have to listen to them.”

  “Way to go, Ashley!” Ginger exclaimed. “Gabe Brant’s a hunk.”

  “Ginger, you’re man-crazy,” Aunt Kate said. “Can’t you think of something besides hunks?”

  “Oooh, this is awesome! Wow, Ashley, I didn’t know I had such an exciting cousin.” She wriggled all over. “Now Gabe Brant will be at family things, and I’ll get to see him. Can I call my friends and tell them?”

  “Yes, you can,” Ashley said, knowing Gabe was telling his relatives now, so the word would be out instantly.

  “Aunt Kate, I’m afraid of what this will do to Dad’s blood pressure.”

  “You can’t shield your daddy from his brothers. He’s the oldest, and he can handle them. He always has.”

  As they went into the formal living room, Ginger fled to call friends. Ashley knew that the two male cousins had probably gone to play pool. Lucy and Cordelia came into the living room and sat down facing Ashley.

  “Ashley, I don’t know how you can do this,” Lucy said. “It will hurt all of us for you to marry one of those horrible Brants. They’re disreputable people.”

  “Lucy, you know that’s not so!” Kate snapped. “The Brants move in the same social circles we do, for heaven’s sake. You make them sound like thugs.”

  “They are,” Cordelia said. “They’re certainly beneath the Ryders and you shouldn’t even want to associate with one, much less marry him.”

  “I’m going to marry him,” Ashley said, feeling more certain about her decision, annoyed by all her relatives’ stepping in and trying to run her life. “Maybe it’s time for the old feud to stop.”

  “We’re going home right now,” Lucy snapped, her face turning red. She hurried from the room, and Cordelia left behind her.

  “Let them go. They’ll accept him someday, but it may take a while,” Kate said.

  “I just don’t want to lose your love,” Ashley stated, and Kate hugged her.

  “You couldn’t ever do that. When your little girl is born, all your aunts and uncles will be right back showering her with love, and you know I’m right.”

  “I hope so.”

  “I know you’re smart enough to make a sound decision. Just ignore a bunch of silly old uncles. They’ll cool down. Anytime you need a substitute mama, give me a call. And I’m going to be an honorary granny to your baby.”

  “Ashley.” She looked up to see Dusty standing in the doorway. “I’d like to talk to you for a minute.”

  “Of course,” she said. Kate stood and hurried from the room, pausing in the doorway to look up at her tall husband.

  “Don’t you dare cause her any grief.”

  “I’m not going to,” he said, scowling fiercely. Kate nodded and left, and he closed the door behind her.

  “Are you really in love with Brant?” Dusty asked bluntly, scowling as he faced her.

  “I have strong enough feelings for him to marry him,” she replied evenly.

  Dusty’s brown eyes narrowed. “There are other very nice men around here who would marry you in a minute.”

  “I’m not interested in others,” she answered patiently.

  “So it’s like that with you and Gabe.” He shook his head. “Your father’s not well and he’s not thinking as sharply as he used to. Two years ago I don’t think he would have willingly gone along with this.”

  “Maybe not, but he is now.”

  “Yep. I can’t help but feel like your dad’s situation is causing you to do this. Are you going to move away and leave Quinn here alone?”

  “No, we’re not. Gabe will live here.”

  Dusty’s eyes narrowed. “Dammit Ashley, at one time I could have just stepped in and bailed Quinn out, but you know I’m trying to keep myself afloat now.”

  “Uncle Dusty, I want to marry Gabe. You don’t need to step in.”

  “Well, I think if you’re not careful that Brant is going to take this ranch from you. This is the original spread, and I hate to see it go. I damn well hate to see it go to a Brant.”

  “Both ranches will merge.”

  “The hell they will. You don’t know the Brant men like I do. His dad was cutthroat ambitious, buying up land around him whenever he could. Gabe Brant is after this land. Your dad is one of the finest horsemen in the world. Brant is a cattleman. He’ll get rid of these fine horses, and he’ll turn it into a cattle ranch.”

  “I don’t think that’s what Gabe intends,” she said, trying to be patient.

  “You can’t see the truth.” Dusty frowned, and she knew he was exasperated with her and trying to hold his temper in check. “I can’t help what you do, Ashley, but I hate like hell to see my brother destroyed when he’s getting up in years and not well.”

  “Gabe isn’t going to destroy Dad.”

  “That’s what you think now.” Dusty placed his hands on his hips and stared at her. “You’re wrong about Gabriel Brant. The Brants have always been ruthlessly ambitious, and the young one is no different from his old man. You’re going to regret this.”

  “I don’t think I will, Uncle Dusty,” she said quietly. “But I appreciate your concern. I won’t let him hurt Dad.”

  “You won’t be able to stop him. He’s a fast-talking hustler who could sell refrigerators to Eskimos.” Dusty crossed the room to put his hands on her shoulders. “You’re smart and pretty and you’ve been successful in your career. I just hate to see you blinded by a fast-talking scoundrel who’s going to hurt you and your daddy and your baby.”

  She looked into his eyes and said, “I’ve thought about this a lot.”

  He dropped his hands and walked away. “Think about it a lot more.”

  Over the next few days Ashley did think about her approaching marriage. She and her father spent hours with their lawyer. Then the lawyers got together. Tuesday, a week after their announcement to their relatives, Gabe called her.

  “Ashley, we better rethink this wedding. If you want to go through with this—and I still do—we need to marry soon. I’m talking elopement.”

  “We can’t do that. Look at all our relatives—we can’t leave them out.”

  “Ashley,” he said, sounding grim and angry, “someone tore up two miles of my fences last night.”

  “No!” she said, sitting down and staring into space. “You’re blaming a Ryder.”

  “Well, I think so,” he snapped. “Who else? Let’s get together with our lawyers, get this agreement finalized, and then let’s elope. Frankly, I’m worried about your place because one of my uncles was with me when I discovered the damage, and he’s madder than hell.”

  “My relatives wouldn’t tear down your fences. They’re not vandals,” she said, growing angry with him for his snap judgment.

  “I think it was a warning to stay away from you. I just don’t want to wake up one night to see my barn burning.”

  “Aren’t you overreacting? Maybe it was kids tearing up property.”

  “One of my men saw someone and chased them. He lost the guy, but it was a green pickup, and he saw the license. I don’t think you want me to tell you who owns that pickup.”

  “Oh, heavens!” she exclaimed, knowing her Uncle Colin had a green pickup. Silence stretched between them again until she spoke. “I guess we should elope, but, if he will, I want Dad to be a witness.”

  “Fine with me. I’ve already asked Josh to be my best man, so I’ll just ask him to be a witness. He can bring Julian and then take him home afterwards.”

  “Afterwards? We’re not going on a honeymoon?”

  “No, we won’t, but I thought we could spend the night away from here—in separate rooms. It’
ll give us a chance to get to know each other a little better. How’s that sound?”

  She ran her hand across her forehead again. “It’s all right.”

  “Ashley, you sound as if you’re being forced to marry Attila the Hun.”

  “It’s just all that’s going on and the anger of my relatives, and, after all, Gabe, we’re not starry-eyed in love.”

  There was a long moment of silence. “I want to marry you,” he said quietly, and her heart thudded.

  “Don’t tell me you love me when you don’t. If you ever say those words, I want them to be true.”

  “If I say them, I’ll mean them. And I did mean it just now when I said I want to marry you. I miss seeing you and want to be with you, and I’m looking forward to our date tonight.”

  Her pulse raced at his words, and she clung to the phone. “Thanks, Gabe. And I’m sorry about your fence.”

  “I’ve talked with my lawyer, and he can see us at two o’clock today. He’s going to call your attorney. Can you and your dad go on such short notice?”

  “Yes, we can,” she said, her spirits sinking over her uncle’s destruction of Gabe’s property.

  “And then what about flying to San Angelo and getting married Friday? We have to get the license and blood test and a notice will go out in the paper. Do you know anyone who lives in San Angelo? Any of the Ryders?”

  “No, I don’t know anyone there. That would be fine,” she said, taken aback now that the actual wedding was going to happen.

  “I’ll pick you up about a quarter before one o’clock.”

  “Fine.”

  The line clicked and he was gone. She stared at the phone.

  “Goodbye, Gabe,” she said to no one. She looked out the window and saw her father in the corral with one of his horses. As she went out to tell him the news, all she could think was that she was marrying Gabe Brant within the week.

  Friday morning of the first week of June came faster than she thought possible. Her stomach had butterflies along with kicks from a very active baby.

  Dressed in a knee-length, two-piece pale-blue silk dress with tiny pearl trim along the border of the overblouse and along the skirt hem, Ashley was conscious of how large her body had gotten. Her hair was looped and pinned on top of her head and Gabe had had a bouquet of white and pale-pink roses delivered to the courthouse, waiting for her.