by Marie Force
She moaned and clutched his shoulders.
“We’ll fill this house with kids, if that’s what you want,” he whispered.
“Right now, all I want is you.”
Susannah wasn’t surprised to find Ryan sharing her pillow when she woke up the next morning. As she listened to her stomach growl, she lay there for a long time wondering if she might already be pregnant. The last two mornings she had woken up starving, and her breasts were ultra-sensitive like they had been from the very beginning with Justin. Of course that could also be from all the attention they’d been getting from Ryan lately. Being ravenous in the morning, though, was unusual, and it had been an early sign of pregnancy before.
After trying so hard to get pregnant the first time, she’d been totally in tune with her body and knew almost instantly that she was pregnant. She’d just had a feeling about it. She had no such feeling now, just some signs that were hard to ignore. Wouldn’t that be something? With all we went through the last time that it could be so easy this time. Don’t get ahead of yourself. Don’t even think about it so you won’t be disappointed if it isn’t true. Yeah, sure, don’t think about it...She decided to make an appointment with her doctor to find out for sure.
Susannah got up to shower and get dressed. She debated over what to wear to Ryan’s press conference and decided on a simple black dress that would also be appropriate to wear to see Henry. She zipped Henry’s ring into a compartment in her purse and went to wake Ryan.
While he was in the shower, she went downstairs to make breakfast and an appointment for the following afternoon with her doctor since it was probably too soon for a home pregnancy test.
Ryan came downstairs wearing a navy pin-stripe suit and a Mavericks’ tie. “Does this look okay?”
“You look wonderful.” She adjusted his tie and smoothed her hands over the lapels of the suit they had bought on London’s Seville Row several years ago. “Like a man who’s going out on top.”
He put his arms around her. “I went out on top last night—a few times as I recall.”
She groaned. “You always have to talk about it, don’t you?”
“What fun is it if I can’t talk about it?”
“Let’s eat so we can get going.”
On the way into the city, they listened to sports talk radio, which was abuzz over Ryan’s press conference. Most of the chatter was about the fifty-million-dollar contract the Mavericks had offered for three more years and speculation that the press conference was to announce Ryan and the team had reached a deal.
“If you’re Chet Logler, don’t you give Ryan Sanderson anything he wants?” one of the hosts asked.
“I would think so,” the other replied. “I know I would.”
Susannah glanced over at Ryan in the driver’s seat. Clearly he wasn’t hearing a word of what was being said about him. “What are you thinking about?”
“I want this thing with Henry done.”
“Soon enough.”
“I want to go in with you.”
“No, Ry. I can’t do that to him. I just need a few minutes with him. You don’t need to worry.” She reached out to caress his cheek where a muscle pulsed with tension. “Everything’s going to be fine. You need to be thinking about your press conference.”
“I can’t think about anything but you and that guy alone in a room together when you tell him it’s over.”
With a deep sigh, she rested her head on his shoulder.
A short time later, they pulled up to the First Mercantile Bank of Denver on California Street.
Ryan stopped her when she reached for the door. “If you’re in there for more than fifteen minutes, I’m coming after you.”
“It won’t take that long.” She leaned over to kiss him and got out of the car. Inside the bank, she took the elevator to Henry’s second-floor office. His assistant greeted her with a smile.
“Hello, Ms. Sanderson. Mr. Merrill’s in a meeting. Did he know you were coming by?”
“No, he didn’t,” Susannah said, wishing now she had made an appointment.
“I’ll let him know you’re here. I’m sure he’ll want to see you.”
“Thank you.” Normally Susannah would balk at calling him out of a meeting but not today.
Henry’s assistant gestured for her to have a seat while she waited.
Susannah used the time to retrieve the ring from her purse. She curled it into her palm, which was suddenly damp from anxiety.
Five of her fifteen allotted minutes had passed when Henry came out of his office with a group of coworkers. His face lit up when he saw her.
“Susannah.” He ushered her into his office as the others moved to the elevator. Today, he wore a burgundy bow tie with a charcoal suit. “This is a nice surprise.” He kissed her cheek and sat next to her on the sofa that overlooked the street. If she stretched just the tiniest bit, she would’ve been able to see Ryan waiting for her in the car.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your meeting.”
“It’s fine. We were done. What brings you into town so early?”
With a deep breath she said, “We need to talk.”
His smile faded. “That doesn’t sound good.”
Susannah reached for his hand. “I’m sorry, Henry, but I’ve decided to give my marriage another chance.”
He smiled but there was no warmth in it. “You didn’t decide that. You had it decided for you.”
“That’s not true.” Susannah took back her hand and told herself to stay calm. “I make my own decisions, and this is what I want.”
“You must be out of your mind if you think you’ll ever be happy with him.”
“I am happy with him. I was happy with him for a long time.”
He stood up. “Were you happy with him when he left you to go play football after you lost the baby? Were you happy when the whole town was talking about him having an affair with Betsy James? Were you happy then, Susannah?”
“No,” Susannah said quietly. “I wasn’t happy during any of those painful periods you love to remind me about every chance you get.” She stood to face him. “Not that it’s any of your business, but Ryan left me to play football after we lost Justin because I pushed him away by refusing to share my grief with him, and he did not have an affair with Betsy James or anyone else.”
“He’s really got you snowed, doesn’t he?”
“I’m sorry if my decision causes you or your parents embarrassment. I’ll pay for any costs incurred by canceling the wedding.”
“You mean he’ll pay, don’t you?”
“Does it really matter?”
“I can’t believe you would do this to me, Susannah! After I gave up my job in New York and moved out here to be with you...”
“I never asked you to do that!”
“You needed me, and I was here for you! I was right here for you, always.”
“Yes, you were. You were right there telling me what a good-for-nothing my husband was while pretending to be my friend.”
“Is that what he’s been telling you? And you’re buying that? We’ve been friends since we were fifteen years old! Are you not allowed to have friends who are men?”
“Of course I am. I have many of them. But none of them has spent the last decade trying to get me to leave my husband so he could have me for himself. That’s not love, Henry.” She put the ring on the coffee table. “That’s something else entirely.”
“Susannah!” he cried as she moved to the door. “Wait.” He put his hand on the door to stop her from leaving. “Please, honey, don’t do this. I love you so much. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”
“I’m sorry, but my mind’s made up. I’d like to leave now, please.”
“Tell me we can still be friends,” he pleaded, grabbing her arm and pulling her to him.
Pain shot through her left arm when he twisted her wrist to keep her from escaping his tight embrace. “Henry! You’re hurting me! Let go!”
“I can’t l
ose you, Susannah. Please. Tell me we’re still friends.”
“We’re not friends.” The pain radiating from her arm brought tears to her eyes. “My friends want what’s best for me. You want what’s best for you. Now let go of me, and open that door before I start screaming.”
“You know what?” he said as he abruptly let go and turned the doorknob. His genial hazel eyes had turned to ice. “The two of you deserve each other. He did me a big favor by coming back when he did. Be sure to thank him for me.”
“I’ll do that.” Her stride as she left his office was quick and confident, but once she was inside the elevator her legs turned to mush and her hands began to shake.
As the elevator doors closed, Henry turned to find his assistant staring at him with her mouth hanging open. “Mind your own business,” he snapped, slamming his office door closed.
He went over to the window and looked down to the street where Ryan Sanderson leaned against the black Escalade. Wearing a long leather coat and that goddamned Stetson he never left home without, Sanderson glanced up.
The two men locked eyes.
Sanderson didn’t look away until Susannah emerged from the bank and threw herself into his arms. He held her for a long time while Henry watched them from above. After Sanderson helped her into the car, he looked up again, but this time his face was twisted into what could only be called a smirk.
He’s gloating! That motherfucker is gloating! They drove away, but Henry stood there staring out at the busy street for a long time before he went over to his desk and picked up the phone.
“Betsy? Hey, it’s Henry Merrill. I was wondering if you might be free for lunch today.”
Chapter 19
After a day filled with emotion and nonstop interviews with local and national media, Ryan and Susannah returned home to Cherry Hills just after nine. A light snow fell as they walked into the dark house. Ryan hung up their coats in the front hall closet and turned to her.
“How about a fire?”
“I’d love it,” she said, wincing when he rubbed his hands over hers to warm them.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
He tilted his head to study her. “Something.”
“I hurt my arm earlier. It’s no big deal.”
“How did you hurt your arm?” He nudged her into the kitchen so he could look at it under the light. “And why didn’t you tell me?”
“I banged it, and I never had the chance.”
He sat her down on a stool at the counter and rolled up her sleeve to find her wrist bruised and swollen. “Susannah! Baby, why didn’t you tell me you were hurt?”
She shrugged. “You were busy with the press. I didn’t want to bother you.”
“Bother me? You must’ve been in pain all day! We need to get you to a doctor.”
“I have an appointment tomorrow for a routine checkup. I’ll have Pam take a look at it then.”
He gently turned her arm so he could see the other side of her wrist where there were four smaller bruises. “Those are fingerprints!” His eyes narrowed with fury. “Henry did this, didn’t he?”
“He didn’t mean to. Honest, he didn’t. He was upset I was leaving, and he tried to stop me. He wasn’t trying to hurt me.”
Ryan released a deep breath in an effort to contain his rage. “I’m going to kill him.”
“No, you’re not.” She rested her good hand on his chest. “How about getting me some ice to put on it?”
With his mouth tight with anger, he stared at the bruises for a long moment before he went to get an ice pack.
She took it from him with a calming smile. “Now, you said something about a fire. Why don’t you get changed first?”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine. The ice feels good. Go ahead, Ry.”
He kissed her cheek and went upstairs, but what he really wanted was find Henry Merrill and kick the shit out of him. Just the thought of that guy putting his hands on Susie...Tomorrow, he would pay that little worm a visit to give him an idea of what would happen if he ever touched her again. Ryan hung up his suit and changed into jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. With his hands on the countertop in the bathroom, he hung his head and took a minute to get himself together.
Susannah came into the bathroom and sighed when she saw him struggling with his emotions. She put her arms around him and rested her head on his back. “Don’t be upset, Ry. I’m okay.”
“I knew I shouldn’t have let you go in there alone.” He slapped the countertop in frustration. “I knew it! This is exactly what I was trying to warn you about yesterday.”
She turned him around so she could see his face. “Baby, I’m fine. It’s no big deal. Please don’t let it ruin what’s been such an important day for you.”
He put his arms around her and hugged her tightly.
“I want to sit by the fire and listen to you play your guitar. Will you do that for me?”
He kissed her forehead. “Anything you want. But I still want to kill him. I swear to God if he ever comes near you again I won’t be responsible for my actions.”
“Don’t talk like that. He’s not going to bother us. I told you, I made it very clear to him that it’s over between us—completely.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it.”
“Go get the fire going while I get changed.”
“Do you need help?”
“No, I can do it. Thanks.”
“All right. Don’t be long.”
“I won’t.”
The moment she was alone, Susannah reached for the bottle of Advil in her medicine cabinet. Her wrist hurt a lot more than she had let on to Ryan, and she suspected it might be sprained or worse. She shuddered when she imagined his reaction if it was in fact broken. She’d only defended Henry because she was afraid Ryan might actually kill him if he knew Henry had been trying to hurt her when he twisted her arm so violently. For a brief moment, she had been frightened by the intensity of Henry’s reaction. She’d known him half her life and had never seen him lose control the way he had today.
With a shudder, she pushed those unpleasant thoughts aside and changed into a pale pink silk nightgown and matching robe. The simple tasks took much longer than usual because of her sore wrist. By the time she joined Ryan in the den, he had built up a big fire and was sitting in front of it lost in thought.
“Hey,” he said when she sat on the sofa behind him. “I thought you forgot about me.”
“Never. What were you thinking about?”
Rising to his knees he turned to face her. “You.”
“What about me?” she asked with a smile.
He ran a hand over the silk that covered her thighs. “Actually I was thinking about the conversation I had with your father before I asked you to marry me.”
Her eyes widened with surprise. “You talked to Daddy first?”
“Of course I did. The weekend before I proposed, I drove out to your folks’ place. Your dad was fishing in the lake. He offered me one of the beers he had in his cooler and baited a pole for me. And then for the longest time he didn’t say a word.”
Susannah chuckled at the scene he described.
“I was starting to sweat when he finally said, ‘You’ve come to tell me you’re taking my Susannah away from me, haven’t you?’” He mimicked her father’s deep Southern drawl to perfection.
“Why haven’t you ever told me this before?” she asked, her eyes filling.
He shrugged. “It was kind of between me and him, you know?”
She nodded. “So what did you say?”
“I said, ‘I’ve come to ask for her hand, sir. I love her, and I’ll take care of her always.’ He said, ‘You’re a good boy, Ryan, but I’m worried about the life you’ve chosen and how my little girl is going to fit into it.’ He said he had always pictured you married to a nice Southern gentleman—a doctor or a lawyer, perhaps. Someone more like Henry. He even used him as an example.”
Susannah wiped away the tears that rolled down her cheeks, and her heart swelled with love as she imagined Ryan courageously approaching her father, a man who would appreciate such old-fashioned courtesy. Ryan had done it despite the fact that her father had been quite vocal in his disapproval of the career Ryan planned to pursue after graduation.
“We talked for a long time. I tried to convince him that while football wasn’t as noble a profession as medicine or law, I’d be able to provide a comfortable life for you, and you’d never have to work unless you wanted to. As you can imagine, he wasn’t much swayed by my description of the perks that would come with marriage to a professional athlete. He finally gave in when I told him quite simply that you’d be safe with me. He couldn’t very well argue with that, I suppose.”
“I can’t believe neither of you ever said a word about this.”
“I haven’t thought about it in years to be honest, until today when there was a very brief time when you weren’t safe.” He touched his lips to the bruise on her wrist. “Now, all I can think about is I promised your daddy I’d take care of you, and I didn’t do that today. I didn’t trust the nagging feeling I had in my gut that Henry might hurt you.”
Susannah put her arms around him and cushioned his head against her chest. “I love you so much.”
His sigh was both contented and conflicted.
“You know that Southern gentleman Daddy hoped I’d find?”
He nodded.
“I married him. I married the best guy I’ve ever known, and if I had it to do over again, even after all that’s happened, I’d do it in a heartbeat.”
Looking up at her, he asked, “Will you?” In the palm of his hand were the engagement and wedding rings he had given her more than a decade ago. “Will you marry me all over again?”
“Yes,” she said, her hands on his face. “Yes, I will.”
He reached for her left hand and slipped the rings onto her finger. “I want us to renew our vows, so we can put the brief period of insanity behind us and make a fresh start.”
“I’d like that.” She gazed at the familiar rings and was overcome with relief to see them back where they belonged. “I guess this means you haven’t forgotten the combo to the safe.”