"Sure, partner. Home…." Mike nodded. Something told him they were right. Something told him he had to get up, but he couldn't. He couldn't move. He looked over at them and smiled. "Only…I can't get up."
Hank nodded. "That's okay, we'll help."
Without a second thought, Hank grabbed him under one arm and lifted him out of the chair, scooting it against the floor as he pulled Mike up.
He grabbed Hank's arm. "You won't take me to my house will you?"
"No, there's plenty of room at the ranch," Letty added.
Letty got on the other side and did the same. Together they nodded to Joey and pulled Mike alongside them to their truck outside. Putting Mike between them, they got in the truck and Mike passed out seconds later.
Letty pulled him against her and nodded to Hank. "Let's go home."
Hank agreed.
Once they arrived, they took him upstairs to Sandy's bedroom and laid him on the bed.
Letty stared down at him. "I've never seen him like this. Wow, and I've known Mike a long time." Letty shook her head as she stared at Mike.
Hank took her in his arms. "He's got a bad case of love-sick if you ask me."
"Lovesick?" Letty looked into Hank's eyes. "For Sandy?"
"That'd be my guess." Hank smiled.
Letty sighed heavily. "My God, I don't know what's gotten into Sandy. She's normally the most level headed of us girls. But six weeks and she's engaged…to a man she barely knows?"
"It happens. Men coming home from the service, they are heroes in a lot of people's minds. Sandy may be suffering from the 'Hero worship syndrome,'" Hank affirmed. "Of course that's not saying it will last. Sometimes heroes have a tendency to fall down too."
"She's been dating Mike since the first shoot he did with me, here at the ranch, that's been months ago. I thought…well, I thought they might…" Letty glanced at Mike who was snoring now.
Hank cradled her in his arms as they both stared at the snoring figure on the bed. "You never know, honey. Love is unpredictable sometimes. But it 'ain't over 'til it's over'."
"She always told me her and Mike were just friends. I guess she meant it," Letty said sadly. "I thought at first that Mike might be seducing her."
"You sound like you wish he had been." Hank twisted his head in question.
"Maybe I do. At least I know Mike is a good person. I mean, a really good person. You have no idea how many times he's pulled his models out of bad scrapes. Bailed them out of jail. Loaned them money, and how many times he could have taken the advantage. He'd give you the shirt off his back. I've known him a long time and he isn't frivolous with women. Actually he's usually true blue. I thought it would be Sandy who would go for him, not him going for her. And I thought they dated long enough to find out if they had feelings for one another, too. But this…I sure wasn't expecting this." Letty shrugged.
Hank kissed Letty's nose. "We'll see him through this somehow. He sounds like he's gonna need some friends. Sometimes the best thing you can have during these times is a good friend. We can do that for him."
"You are such a good man…" Letty snickered, snuggling close and waiting for the kiss Hank didn't refuse. "And so easy to fall in love with. I guess Sandy will throw it in my face at how quickly I fell in love with you."
"If I'd only known I wouldn't have worried so much. When you left the ranch, I was afraid you would move away and I wouldn't see you again." He laughed after kissing her thoroughly.
"Mm…now look at us." She chuckled.
"I love you, Letty. More and more every day." He squeezed her. "When you gave up all that money, I couldn't believe it. That takes a lot of guts, lady."
"Money can't touch the heart. That reminds me, I've got to go pick out the invitations for the wedding." She kissed his cheek. "I'd love to have Mike take our wedding pictures but now I hate to ask him."
"Let's feel him out first." He let her go and they closed the door to the bedroom.
"You think he'll be alright?" Letty asked.
"Not right now he won't. But he will be," Hank assured her. "And tomorrow he's gonna wish he hadn't been born."
~*~
Later that night Sandy came home from her date with Chad. Going straight to her room, she flipped on the light when she heard a noise that sounded like a moan. She looked up and saw Mike in her bed, her eyes rounding on him. The immediately unwelcome attraction that pulled her to this man made her senses tingle.
She didn't want to be attracted to Mike. She couldn't possibly compete with his harem of models that were a constant in his life. She knew this from the beginning, but in the privacy of her room, while he held his hands to his eyes, and she was able to observe him from the distance, she tried to control the wild fluttering's of her heart. She was in love with Chad, but it was Mike that sent her pulse soaring. The man she could never have.
"What are you doing here?" she shrieked, staring at a dishelved Mike in her bed. His shirt was unfastened almost to his waist, his hair mussed and that five o'clock shadow lent him a devilishly handsome look. Their eyes locked for a moment.
"Would you please turn the light out…?" Mike instructed, shielding his eyes.
"I will not…I want to know what you are doing in my bed, with your clothes on?" she insisted.
"I can take them off, if that's your problem." Mike had his hands over his eyes, but when her words registered, he opened his fingers and glanced down at himself. He moaned. "The light, please…"
Obviously sensing something was not right, Sandy turned the light out, and stood at the end of her bed staring at him. The darkness threw them into an instant awareness of each other.
"What is wrong with you? I've never seen you like this."
There was a silence, a stirring.
"I had a few beers. No—that's not true. I had a lot of beers." Mike put his hands down and looked about the room. "I'm in your bedroom?"
"That's right, you didn't know?"
Mike shook his head. "Well no, I was sort of out of it."
"I'm giving you five minutes to get yourself together and get out of my bed," Sandy demanded. "I can't believe you were drinking."
Her words put things into perspective.
"Could we talk about this tomorrow, I'm really not feeling so good…" his voice lowered to a rasp.
"Sure." She tried to sound flippant, but seeing him like this, looking so vulnerable and sweet, she wanted to comfort him, but knew that would be too dangerous. She'd never admit it, but Letty's warning to not get too close to Mike had kept her at bay many times. He was a living temptation though. A temptation she didn't want to acknowledge.
"If you'll give me a minute, I'll get out of your room."
His words didn't connect with her feelings and she stood there in the dark, her breathing almost erratic.
She nodded silently. Words failed her at the moment. Shock riveted through her, like an electrical volt.
She had fought the sexual attraction of Mike for months now. She told herself they didn't belong together. Mike was simply too powerful for her. He hadn't even kissed her, that's how attracted he was to her. And yet moments like this sent self-doubts skittering.
"I'll be right back…" she murmured through the darkness.
"Take your time."
With that she went down the hall, and seeing Letty's door open she switched the light on and went inside. "Okay…what's going on? Why is Mike in my bed with all his clothes on?"
Letty yawned and stretched and sat up in her bed, then glared at her sister. "You want him in your bed with all his clothes off?" She laughed.
"Oh very funny. I want to know what is going on around here," Sandy demanded. "And by that calm attitude I would say you know."
"Of course I do," Letty admitted, trying to wake up a little before she answered her sister's tirade of rude questions.
Letty rubbed her eyes a minute.
Sandy gasped with impatience. "Well?"
"Look Miss high and mighty, get off your high horse and
I'll tell you. It's only one in the morning and I'm only half awake. You know Sandy, you have had a certain tone about you, since I've come home that I don't appreciate. I'm the older sister."
"Okay, so you're older."
"And wiser…" Letty pushed with a smile.
"Maybe…" Sandy almost smiled now.
"Okay look…It's pretty simple, really. I got a call from Joey, down at the Red Door that Mike was there. Drinking."
"So…what's the big deal?" Sandy asked.
"He doesn't drink, that's what the big deal is. You should know that. Now…sit down, we need to talk," Letty instructed her and from the way she said it, Sandy didn't argue. Because despite everything, Letty was her older sister and she loved her.
"The big deal is…Mike had been there ever since they opened this morning. He was drunk," Letty informed her.
"Mike?" Sandy gasped. "But like you said…Mike doesn't drink!"
"Exactly. That's why Hank and I went down there. That's why Joey called us." Letty nodded. "Mike told us he was celebrating."
"Celebrating what?" Sandy insisted once more.
"Your engagement," Letty said flatly.
"Oh!" Sandy face reddened, she could feel the rush of blood. "Oh, that."
"Yes, that," Letty snapped, finally coming to enough to respond. "You sure neglected to tell anyone else about it."
Sandy looked down at the floor. "I was going to."
Sandy was quiet a moment then stood up. "Well, I guess he had a right to celebrate. I guess he had a right to get drunk. It's not like it happens all the time. He's obviously very happy about us."
"Happy for you?" Letty's brows drew together.
"If he's celebrating…"
Letty took a deep breath, rubbed her eyes and stared at her sister. "Look, you've only known this young man a few weeks, and you're getting married? Not only that but Mike tells me he drinks regularly."
Sandy hung her head. "You've got to understand, he was wounded in Iraq. He gets depressed a lot. Mike had no right to tell you anything."
Letty frowned. "He was drunk, Sandy. And since you've been around drunks before you should know they talk a lot."
"Uh…yeah…I guess you're right about that." She dropped her hooded gaze to the floor. "So, why is Mike in my bed?"
"He passed out. So we put him there. He didn't want to go home," Letty said flatly. "Do you know why?"
"No, well, not exactly. Mike doesn't get along with his folks. You see, they don't understand his work. His father is always rude to him, and his mother practically ignores him because he didn't go to college." Sandy frowned. "His parents haven't exactly been fair to him. I guess it is getting pretty serious. You don't think that's why he was drinking, do you?"
"No…I don't. Since I've known Mike for several years I can tell you. They have picked on him all his life. It isn't something new. They have no appreciation for his work, and it is work by the way, in case you have any doubts."
"Of course it is. Even I know that."
"They don't see that his career as a photographer is going anywhere. He photographs some of the top models in this country. And he didn't accomplish that by sitting on his butt. He worked hard to get there, I can tell you. He's had a showing in several cities with his work. He's even having a showing in Dallas at the end of the month. But they don't see his career as a career at all. And from what I gathered, his brother Chad is the 'do no wrong brother'," Letty acknowledged. "So, tell me when did you meet this brother? And how did you get so involved so quickly?"
"About six weeks ago, he'd just gotten out of the service. Mike introduced us. There was immediate attraction on both our parts and Chad didn't waste a minute of time asking me out. He's fabulous, Letty. He just got out of the Marines. He was wounded, he was a hero. His folks are so proud of him. I'm proud of him. He saved one of his buddies, well sort of. The man was dead by the time they got back to cover. But he risked his life to save him. He's very kind, and attentive to me. I was smitten. He asked me to marry him and I said yes."
"Well…that's it in a nutshell, I guess, huh? So when's the big day?" Letty asked, not bothering to hide her sarcasm.
"After my year here is up," Sandy informed her.
"Oh, if you are so smitten, why wait so long?" Letty asked.
"Because I don't want anything screwing up our plans," she announced. "There's no hurry. When I inherit, we'll start college together."
"That's your plans?" Letty's brows narrowed. "Where are you going to live, in the dorms?"
"No, of course not, not after we're married. We may even live here. Well, we both want to go to college. But he just got out of the Marines so he's taking kind of a breather first. He has no scholarship. It's going to be very expensive. He's planning on becoming a doctor. And of course you know I want to be a vet. It will be years before either of us have our degree, but there is no problem. Once I inherit we can both go without a worry, and get married at the same time." Sandy bounced back on the edge of the bed. "We'll have all the money we will ever need. Well, don't look at me like that; don't you think it's a good plan? We'd be investing in our futures. We both need a good education for our careers. Dad's just sort of furnishing one for us."
"Us being the word in question here. Why can't he put himself through college?"
"Well, like I said, he's been in the Marines, and he has no scholarship, and the military is only doing so much anymore. He's going to need some help, paying for it. But that's no problem."
Letty shot out of bed and paced the room. "Dad's plan was to furnish one for you…not every man you fall in love with, Sandy. A good plan? You call that a good plan? Are you completely out of your mind? Medical school is a long process; it takes money, lots of it."
She eyed her sister with shock.
"Sandy, I'm really shocked by this. I mean, we have all sat down and talked about this before. About how we don't want some man living off of us. You want to start your marriage off with supporting your husband? God, I can't believe it. We talked about this, together. How we would be so careful not to let the money decide our destiny. This clown wants to go to school on dad's money? I see nothing heroic about that."
"Clown? How can you call him names? You don't even know him," Sandy shrieked. "And why are you putting it like that? Like he's trying to take an advantage. It's all just good business sense. We're in complete agreement. We are planning our future together. I would think you would be proud that I'm going to vet school, and that he will be able to support us later."
"I might be proud as a peacock if he put himself through college and medical school. But already planning on your inheritance sends up red flags in my eyes. Once he starts living off you, what is to stop him from doing it for the rest of his life?"
Sandy stood up and met her eye to eye. "It's not like that. He's getting an education, an education that will pay for itself over and over."
"This…man, as you call him, wants to live off your money until he finishes school? And you'll let him?" Letty exclaimed. "Sandy, medical school is expensive not to mention the time it involves. And both of you going at the same time. And what happens when he finishes and decides he wants a divorce? That's been known to happen, you know?"
"It's not like that. You just don't know him. Chad is a wonderful person. He'd never hurt anyone," Sandy insisted. "He loves me. Look, he bought this for me…"
She extended her hand and displayed a huge ring on her finger.
Letty gasped. The ring was almost gaudy, and Sandy had the greatest urge to pull it back.
"I'm surprised you can lift your finger, it's so big."
"I know, it's gorgeous. I love it. He picked it out himself."
"Did he pay for it himself?"
"I don't know," Sandy barked, moving her finger away. "You don't ask those questions. But you've got to admit, it isn't shabby."
Letty frowned. "I never realized how monetary you've become. Nor how gullible."
"I haven't. I just love the ring. I think he too
k out a loan, to pay for it."
"A loan that he'll have to pay back, Sandy. For a ring that size, that would be a big loan. Is he working?"
"No…not yet, he hasn't been home long enough," she protested. "His folks co-signed on the loan for the ring. He said he wanted to get something that was befitting a McKay. And he certainly did."
"His folks aren't rich, Sandy. That loan could cost them their house…"
"Chad will take care of it. He'd never hurt his parents."
"Maybe not intentionally, but that ring is for rich girls, and he knows it. And as I see it, you're the rich girl."
"Okay…okay. Maybe you are right about that. Maybe I should talk to him about it. I didn't want to embarrass him, is why I haven't. But… can't you give him a break?"
"Sandy, you are about to inherit a fortune…"
"Chad's not a bit interested in money. He's looking toward our future…Once we have that education, we'll earn our own money."
"Then tell me how it is Sandy, because it looks to me like he wants a free ride through medical school, at your expense. And then he'll make big money," Letty shouted. "And if you marry, you'll help pay for that ring. Dear God, where is your head? In the clouds or something?"
"I'm not discussing this with you. It's none of your business," Sandy shouted back. "You don't know him like I do."
"You're right, it's not my business. And I certainly don't know him. I'm not even sure I want to know him." Letty gritted her teeth and flexed her jaw. "I merely wanted to protect my sister who has obviously lost her mind."
Sandy glared at her.
"What do you care? You gave your inheritance up…for Hank. I'd say you are crazier than I am."
Sandy felt spiteful and shame clouded her thoughts for a moment. She'd never talked to her sister this way before.
"At least Hank didn't want or need my money. And I respect him for that. And the love we have isn't based on money either," Letty defended. "I support myself, Sandy; there is a big difference, little girl. He's not some freeloader. We plan to live off what we make ourselves."
"A martyr, that's worse still. I'm not a little girl, and Chad isn't a freeloader." She came close and looked Letty directly in the eye. "I'm a grown woman now. I'm capable of making up my mind how to live, thank you. Goodnight!"
Twelfth of Never (Book 3 of the McKay series) Page 2