by Tia Wylder
Elizabeth cried out in disappointment. “You’re such a tease!”
Derrick winked at her. “I have to keep you interested somehow.” He pushed himself away from her and sat up. “Besides, Charlie is here.”
She nodded and sighed, “You’re right. I should probably be heading home anyway.”
“Thank you for today.” He offered his hand to her, and she took it. Derrick led her to the front door.
“I feel like I should be thanking you. I know it took a lot for you to let me spend time with your son. I won’t take that trust for granted.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He gave her a chaste goodnight kiss.
She bit her lip and turned to leave, still wanting more. The night air seemed sweeter now, and the sky was a deeper ebony blue. She was too high on excitement to sleep. The house was empty when she walked in. It didn’t feel like a home without Derrick here with her. She made her way to the pile of blankets she was still sleeping on.
Being back in her own house made her feel like she was still a child wandering lost in the world. She had an excellent job and a home, but inside she still felt like she wasn’t grown up yet. The unpacked boxes next to her were a testament to that. If she wanted to be a worthy partner to Derrick, she needed to make more of an effort on her end of things. She could still maintain the carefree side of herself even if she exhibited more responsibility.
Elizabeth channeled her restless energy into finally getting her things in order. Box after box was emptied. The items were stowed in proper places. Taking control of her surroundings gave her a confidence boost. She needed to be a more reliable person, not just for Derrick, but for Charlie, too. Keeping her stuff boxed up was a poor example to set for him. Derrick had trusted her enough to let her spend time with his son, and she wanted to prove she was worthy of that. Once all the boxes were unpacked, Elizabeth looked around her surroundings. A sense of accomplishment radiated from her. Until now, she had dreaded coming home even if she hadn’t realized it before. The boxes made her feel claustrophobic and overwhelmed her. That was why she had put it off for so long. On larger projects, it was hard to know where to start, but spending time with Derrick and Charlie gave her the motivation to tackle anything.
Satisfied with the outcome, Elizabeth curled up in the pile of blankets on the floor. She fell asleep with a smile on her face. She had come so far since first moving in. Finally, the stars were aligning in her favor.
It felt as though she had only been asleep for a few minutes before there was a loud knocking on her door. Elizabeth jolted out of the blankets and plodded over to the door. Sunshine streamed through the doorway as she opened it. A lady with a clipboard handed her a slip of paper to sign.
“What’s going on?” Elizabeth glanced around her to see a moving van parked in the driveway.
“We’re here to deliver your furniture.”
Shielding her eyes with her hand, Elizabeth squinted at the woman. “I never made an appointment.”
Derrick stepped out of the shadows with two cups of coffee in his hand. He passed one to Elizabeth. “I called them. I’ve had you running around so much at work that you haven’t had time to set it up yourself. I didn’t want to have to worry about you sleeping on the floor anymore, so I just set up the delivery myself. All you have to do is tell them where you want it.”
“Really?!” She was moved by his thoughtfulness. “Thank you.” She sipped her coffee as the moving crew prepared to unload her things. “Where’s Charlie this morning?”
“His mom already picked him up.”
Two men hefted a large sofa towards the door. “Where do you want us to put this?”
“Just put it in the living room.” Elizabeth pointed out the way to them.
After about an hour, all her furniture was in the house. She waved goodbye to the moving company as they pulled out of her driveway. Derrick followed her inside. The empty echo that had been there earlier was gone now that the furniture was in place.
“I see you finally unpacked.”
“Yeah. Finally made myself do it last night. I had no idea how much stuff I had until I had to pack and unpack it all.”
“It feels more like a home now.” He smiled in approval.
“It only feels like a home because you’re here.” Her heart pounded as the words slipped out of her mouth. She quickly averted her eyes in embarrassment.
“Maybe I should come over more often then.” He smirked and turned her head back to face him. She was cute when she got flustered. “Oh, I almost forgot. I got you a housewarming present.”
“Really? You didn’t have to do that.” Derrick handed her a package wrapped in plain brown paper. A piece of twine was tied in a bow around it. “What is it?”
“Open it and find out.”
Slowly, she pulled the twine. The package unwrapped itself. Underneath the parchment was a picture frame with two portraits inside. On one side, the picture from the photoshoot stared up at her. The other side had a candid photo of Derrick, Charlie, and herself at the zoo. “How did you get this?” She stared up at him in amazement.
“There was a newspaper there taking pictures for a story about the new baby monkeys. They contacted me and asked for permission to use it. I said they could on one condition. They sent me that late last night after you left.”
“Thank you.” She traced her finger across the images.
“Elizabeth, it’ll not always be this easy to be with me and to be involved in Charlie’s life. I want you to keep this picture as a reminder of something good when things get more difficult.”
“What do you mean? Are you expecting something bad to happen?”
Derrick chuckled, “No. I’m just being realistic. At some point, I will have business setbacks. I want you to know that even if I get upset, I will do my best not to take those worries out on you. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to confide in you.” He sighed, remembering the past. “During my marriage with Catherine, I kept my personal and business relationships separated. I thought I was protecting her from worrying, but in the end, it pushed her away. I don’t want to make that mistake with you. If you’re willing to be with me, I would like to include you in all parts of my life. I don’t want there to be any secrets between us, and sometimes that might mean I put too much pressure on you. If there ever comes a time when you need a break, or you feel overburdened, I need you to tell me. Elizabeth, I don’t want to have any regrets this time around.”
She took his hand in hers. “I want you to tell me whatever you need to tell me. I don’t care if it’s work problems, or family problems. I’m here for you. I can’t promise I won’t make mistakes, but if you’re patient with me, I think we can work out any issues we might face. I don’t expect this to be all sunshine and roses, Derrick. I know I come across as a little flighty sometimes, but I understand that real life isn’t a fairytale. I’m here for the tough times, too. Whatever you need. I’m here.”
Derrick smiled and cupped her face in his hands. Elizabeth placed the pictures on the counter and tilted her head up. He leaned his forehead against hers, taking in the smell of her perfume. It was a scent he had started to associate with happiness. Her fingertips wound into his dark curls. They shared a smile. Their breath and the beating of their hearts fell into the same rhythm. When Derrick closed his eyes, it wasn’t darkness or a hole that he found but hope. Elizabeth felt her walls melt away at his touch. She felt more vulnerable and yet somehow brazen at the same time. Their personalities meshed into one another like pieces of a puzzle. For the first times in their lives, home was less of a place and more a sense of belonging brought out by being close to each other.
THE END
The Texas Rancher’s Bride
Chapter One
Of the two sisters, Joanne was the pretty one. Jennifer was the brain of the family; the one with the good grades who did well at school, acing the debates and winning medals at the spelling bee. But this never seemed to come close to Joanne’s li
ghter complexion or her hazel eyes, which changed color with the weather or her mood.
None of this mattered once Joanne disappeared, shortly after leaving home to get married. Jennifer was as worried about her sister as her mother was. She knew something had to be done when she came home one afternoon to find the apartment quiet and dark, the curtains drawn and the television off. There was no sign of her noisy twin brothers who were usually jumping on the sofa watching cartoons this time of her day. And her mother wasn't cooking dinner, as usual, filling the house with delicious smells of home cooking. Instead, she found her mother, Angela, in her room, sitting on the bed, staring in front of her.
"What's wrong, mom?" Jennifer rushed to her mother's side. "Are you all right? Where are Ty and Damian?”
Angela inclined her head slightly. “Downstairs,” she whispered.
Jennifer nodded. The neighbors in the flat below them also had children, and the twins liked to play there sometimes.
“I had a call from Arthur. He drove over to the ranch. In Bonham.”
Jennifer felt her heart starting to beat faster. She knew her mother was going to ask a cousin of hers who lived in Texas to drive over to the farm where Joanne was heading to after she left. She had given them the name of the farm and the man she was going to marry. Sean Perry and Valley View. This was all they knew. She had left over a month ago and apart from one phone call shortly after her arrival in Bonham, they had not heard from her since. This had been her mother’s last resort, actually sending someone to go to the farm to check if anyone had any information about Joanne.
Tears streamed down Angela’s face. “They’ve never heard of Joanne! Arthur spoke to the maid and some of the farm hands there; no one has seen her. No one fitting her description even visited the farm!”
“What about Sean Perry?”
Angela shook her head. “He couldn’t find him. Seems not around. Folks said they rarely saw him. Arthur had to get back home, he couldn’t wait around all day.”
Something had clearly gone terribly wrong. What had happened to Joanne? Why hadn’t she called?
“Do you think we should call the police?” Angela asked.
Jennifer nodded curtly, although she had little trust in the authorities.
“I’m going down there, see for myself what is going on.”
Angela's eyes widened in fear, and she grabbed her daughter’s arm. “No, don’t go!”
“We have to know what is going on,” Jennifer said, trying to be gentle.
“How long will it take for the cops to get down there? They knock on the door once and what then? Go, ‘Oh, there is no sign of her, here?’ We need some answers.”
“But what if something happens to you?”
“Nothing is going to happen to me,” Jennifer said, with more certainty than she actually felt. “I will call you every day and give you a progress report.”
“What about the money?”
Jennifer bit her lip. She was saving up money for college, but she knew this was more important. Until they knew what had happened to her sister, there would be no peace in her family. She would take her savings and travel to Bonham in Texas, all the way across the country. She had never been that far from home before, but she knew this was something she had to do, not only for her mother but for her sister as well.
Jennifer called Mrs. Fries, whose children she was currently watching in the afternoons and explained the situation to her. She needed some time off as soon as possible. Then she booked her plane ticket to Dallas. She would leave first thing in the morning.
Then she went to get takeaways and fetched her brothers from the neighbors. Ty and Damian yelled and pushed each other on the stairs, running into their little apartment, immediately filling it with their boisterous energy. Jennifer felt cheered by them. She saw the way her mother looked at them as well, with a mixture of sadness and hope. They were only ten years old and knew so little of the world.
Jennifer explained to them that she would be going away for a while and that they needed to be good. They nodded, listening solemnly.
“Will you be okay while I’m away?” she asked her mother as the boys ran off for their bath.
Angela worked as a housekeeper downtown. Her hours were long, and she often came home late. Jennifer usually helped with the twins until she was home.
“I’ll ask Betty to com’ look after ‘em,” her mother said, wearily.
Jennifer knew her sister’s disappearance had taken its toll on her mother. Ever since her father had been jailed for manslaughter and the family had to move into this cramped apartment in a poor neighborhood, the twins switching schools and the money drying up; Angela had become increasingly pessimistic about the future. She had not approved of Joanne agreeing to marry a man she had met over the Internet, saying no good could come of it. But Joanne had assured them that Sean was fantastic, that he had a big farm and that once she was married, she would be able to help them out financially. She had convinced them all, even Jennifer, who was always the more sensible one.
“Joanne is okay, ma,” Jennifer said. “I can feel it.”
But she wasn’t so sure. She hugged her mother quickly to hide the fact that her eyes were filling with tears.
Chapter Two
At the airport, Jennifer hired a taxi to take her to Valley View. She had Googled the address and had directions. Even though the drive was a few hours and quite expensive, she wanted to get to the ranch right away. She called her mother and told her that she had arrived safe and sound. Despite her full day of traveling, she was not tired. She felt rather invigorated by the whole experience. It was her first time on a flight, traveling alone and finding the right boarding gates had been rather exciting.
As she looked out of the window at the Texan landscape, she thought of her sister’s last words to her. Joanne had appeared to really look forward to her new life here. She had no reservations about marrying a man she had not even met. She told Jennifer that she had no prospects back in New York. The only work she could get was menial and poorly paid, and she didn't want to be a shop assistant or a cashier at the supermarket. Jennifer realized that her sister was disillusioned by the life that had followed graduation from school. When a relationship didn't work out, she had tried Internet dating and found the site where she met Sean. They got chatting, and when he proposed marriage, she agreed. He sent her the money to travel to Texas and Joanne was looking forward to getting away from the city and becoming a rancher's wife.
What had gone wrong? Jennifer wondered as they drove through the rolling green hills, the wide open plains dotted with cattle. Something about the landscape appealed to her, even though Jennifer had grown up in the city and had never thought of leaving.
The taxi stopped pulled off the road at an elaborate gate with a sign that read Valley View. She got out, paid the driver and took a look around. Then she marched down the long driveway, giving no thought to what she would say or do once she got to the house. She tried not to be intimidated by the huge mansion that emerged in front of her. It was a beautiful stone house, with a slate roof and wide windows, surrounded by manicured lawns the likes of which she had never seen before.
She knocked on the door, firmly.
A Mexican housekeeper opened the door.
“I am here to see Mr. Perry,” Jennifer announced in her most authoritarian voice. She had her coat buttoned to the top and her most expensive boots on, an outfit she had carefully chosen, hoping that it made her look like a woman to be taken seriously.
"We have an appointment," she lied before the housekeeper could ask her. The woman disappeared to call her employer and Jennifer moved her travel case out of view.
“May I help you?”
Jennifer looked up and felt her heartbeat quicken. Sean Perry was taller than she had thought he would be. She was also not prepared for that deep tan and the bright blue eyes that stared at her, filled with curiosity. As for the curly blonde hair that curled about his face, well, she could see
why Joanne had no qualms coming down here.
“Are you Mr. Sean Perry?” Jennifer asked.
The man in the tight jeans nodded.
“My name is Jennifer Keys,” she said. When he didn’t react, she added, “Joanne’s sister.”
Then she saw his face change color, to a deep red, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.
“So you do know my sister!” Jennifer exclaimed.
“I certainly do,” Sean said rather stiffly. “I paid for her to come down here and she stood me up!”
“You didn’t meet her?” Jennifer asked and saw something in his eyes, a shifty glance that told her something wasn’t right.
“No," Sean said, curtly. "She left the same day she arrived, and I have no idea where she's gone. So I will say good day to you…"
“Not so fast, Mr. Perry,” Jennifer said, as firmly as she could, stepping forward as he was about to close the door.
"My sister has disappeared without a trace, and you were the last person to speak to her. Over a month ago. We’ve heard nothing from here. My mother is worried sick.”
Jennifer pushed past him into the house, taking in the wealth she saw on display. There was no way her sister would have turned her back on all this, she thought, not after living in their damp little basement flat for all those years.
Sean ran his fingers through his hair. He seemed tired; weary almost. But Jennifer refused to feel sorry for him.
“I have to go to town,” he said. “I will give you a lift to the motel where she was staying.”
“I’m not getting into a car with you!” Jennifer exclaimed.
Sean gave a little smile as if it amused him that Jennifer didn’t trust him.
“I really can’t help you,” he said more gently. “I am sorry. Now, I really need to go town. I have an appointment with the dentist. Can I give you a ride?”
Jennifer shook her head. “I’ll walk.”
“It is a few miles to town,” he said, again with that arrogant smile that was beginning to drive her quite mad.