Louise never faltered but continued walking to her car. Protective instincts he didn’t even know he possessed roared up inside of him. He didn’t want her to go. He wanted to follow and make sure she got home okay. He wanted to hold her and feel that she was fine.
He waited until her car started and, with lights on, she drove out of town. North. He’d be going east. Alone.
Chapter 5
“Is everything going okay?” Donna sounded bright and cheerful on his phone. Going to craft shows seemed to revitalize her.
“It’s going good, Mom.”
“You’re getting enough to eat?”
“Yeah. I ate supper at the diner last night. Figured I’d do it again.”
His mom didn’t say anything for a few beats. Funny that he’d been finding his own food for years, but now that he was home, suddenly his eating, or lack of it, was her concern again.
“They have good food,” she finally said, and he wondered if he’d caught her at a bad time.
“Do you have a minute?”
“Yes.” Her voice sounded less perky and more cautious.
“It’s nothing big, exactly. I just realized last night that me staying away from here so much was probably not the nicest and most thoughtful thing I could have done. I wanted to apologize.”
“Oh.” Surprise colored her voice. “It’s okay. I mean, it would have been nice to see you more. A lot more. But everyone deals with death differently.” It kind of sounded like she was feeling her way, and he wanted to ease her uncomfortableness.
“That’s probably true. But I was selfish, because you were dealing with a death too, and I just did what was easier for me. I’m sorry.”
The phone was silent for a few moments. “Thanks, son. That was a rough time, and I still miss your dad. But we made it through, and we’ll just keep going forward.”
“Mom. I was a spoiled brat, only thinking of myself. You can admit it.”
“You’re my son, and I love you.”
“I love you, too, Mom.” He almost ended the call then, but suddenly he remembered, “Who is the pianist? I’m supposed to be on this committee with her, but she hasn’t contacted me.”
“I’m sure she will, honey. I’ve got to go.” And his mom hung up.
He stood outside the gym, holding a dead phone to his ear. His mother had just hung up on him. Okay, not exactly, but she’d not answered his question. She must be pretty busy. He shrugged and walked into the gym.
He hoped Louise was working at the diner tonight.
LOUISE SET PAUL’S MEAL down in front of him. He jerked his head in thanks before digging into the open-faced beef sandwich.
He’d chewed for a second or two before he pointed his fork at the seat across the table. “You want to sit down? Weren’t you hungry?”
Sometimes she ate with him, but she had lost her appetite when Ty showed up at the reception a week ago and hadn’t gotten it back yet.
“No, I’m good,” she said. She thought of Tella mentioning that she was the only kid in her small class of thirteen kids that didn’t have a father at home. She also thought of the one billion dollars that could be hers if she got married.
The supper crowd hadn’t come, so she had a few minutes she could spare. She sank down, grateful to be off her feet. She’d started her shift at lunch, and she worked until closing. Normally she didn’t work such long hours, but since she’d been off last week, she was making up time. At least she’d gotten her editing job finished in the afternoon lull.
Paul took another bite of his sandwich and chewed thoughtfully. “Something bothering you?”
Louise tried to shake her gloom off. It wasn’t fair to Paul who was sweet as he could be and really cared about Tella.
“No. I’m just tired.” She put a smile on her face. “How was work?”
“Not bad.” He launched into a description of a networking problem he’d been able to solve remotely that day, and Louise tried to listen.
Finally, Paul asked, “Where’s Tella?”
“Home. School starts soon. Then she’ll be here some after school when she’s not with Miss Donna.”
He got a sweet grin on his face. “Yeah, I remember milking out those last days of summer vacation. Tell her I asked about her.” He tilted his head. “Maybe we can go see a movie next week? There’s a new one coming to the theater on Wednesday, I think.”
“That’s sweet of you.” Sweet. That word described Paul to a T. “I think next Wednesday would work for me.”
“Okay. It’s a plan.”
Paul had been the first person who had come to her mind when she’d read the letter about the money. If she needed to be married, he was single and available. He also ate at the diner every night and occasionally walked her to her car. It wasn’t like she’d thought he was in love with her or anything; it was more that she thought he didn’t have any better prospects. Kind of like her.
So just to test the waters, she’d asked him what he thought of a marriage arrangement. She hadn’t told him about the money, just pitched it more that she wanted a house of her own and a father for Tella. Both mostly true.
He’d said he’d think about it. That was several weeks ago. Since then, he’d made more of an effort to spend time with her. Like asking her to sit while he ate. They’d gotten ice cream twice, and he’d strolled around the park with her. They’d sat together at Palmer and Ames’s wedding reception. And now a movie.
She didn’t care about romance or love. She’d tried a version of that and just ended up with heartbreak and tears she didn’t have time to shed. She just wanted the money so she could move out of Palmer and Ames’s home and into her own with Tella. She didn’t want to be the spinster sister who people put up with because they had to.
“I’ve been thinking about your offer.” He swallowed and took a drink of his diet soda.
Louise ran the tip of one finger over the napkin in front of her. “Okay.” Although she’d not told him about the money, she had mentioned that she would buy acreage in the area for them to live on. If he had questions about how she was going to afford it, he hadn’t asked.
He nodded as he put more beef in his mouth. “We’re not in love or anything, but we’d be married for real.” His hazel eyes met hers. She figured she knew what he was talking about.
“Yes, of course.”
“I think I’ll do it. I’ll be a father to Tella. She’s sweet, and a man couldn’t ask for a better child. You’ll be my wife.”
A tiny, almost passionate look passed over his face but was gone before Louise could examine it. Back when she was young and had lots of dreams, she would never have considered doing what she had done—basically asking for a marriage of convenience so she could inherit money. And when she made her offer, she hadn’t known that Palmer was going to get married, or that he even had a letter, so her money could have saved their ranch and provided for their grandparents. But even though Palmer had fixed that problem, his solution had created another one—Louise being in the way.
Then she thought of Ty and all the feelings his presence had dredged up last night, keeping her from dropping exhausted into bed and falling right asleep. She needed more defenses against him. She couldn’t fall for his tricks again. Not with a daughter who depended on her. Having Paul between them was better than nothing. It would be best for Tella.
“Great.” It should feel good, right? She’d just agreed to get married. “I suppose, we’re engaged now?”
“Yeah,” he said, with that gentle, sweet look in his eye. “I guess we are.”
And several beats passed. Her finger stopped on the napkin. “I have a ring from my great-grandmother. I guess I can use that.”
He nodded. “I guess I was thinking about all the changes this arrangement would make and not really about anything practical. I can buy you a ring if you want.”
“I’d like to use my great-grandmother’s ring, if that’s okay.”
He nodded, putting the last of his sandwich in h
is mouth.
Louise swallowed down a feeling that felt a lot like disappointment. This was exactly what she wanted. Paul was not romantic, and she knew that. They did have some interesting conversations about their work and computers and even data and statistics, which they were both interested in. Today’s conversation wasn’t their best, but they were compatible, and they got along. This was definitely the best decision she could make.
“I’ll dig it up in the next week or so.”
“We can just drive over to the courthouse and get married. What day suits you?”
It sounded like he wanted to do it this week. Louise shoved down the panic that leaped up into her chest.
“I have to organize and run Harvest Fest. Let’s do it after. If we do it before, I won’t have time to pack and move.” Like that would take very long. She had a few things in her hope chest—a relic from her romantic dreams of childhood—and their clothes. She didn’t own a stitch of furniture or kitchen utensils. She’d bought pots and pans and dish towels as the ones on the ranch had run out, but she never considered them hers. They belonged to the ranch.
“When’s that?”
“The middle of September.”
“That’s over a month away.”
“I’m sorry. If you’re in a rush...” The words wouldn’t come out of her mouth. She wasn’t ready to get married. Sure, she’d been the one to offer, but she needed time to reconcile the event in her head. “I don’t have property bought, yet, either.”
“That’s a good point. My apartment is only one bedroom, and I don’t really want to move out to your ranch.”
Louise swallowed. She could do this. “This is going to be a big change for everyone. I think it’s best if we have a room for Tella before we move forward. It’s not like there’s a big rush.” She had until Christmas to get married. The letter had said six months from the date of the letter. If she wasn’t married by then, the money went to a petting zoo.
“Fine.” Paul’s eyes were flat, and he didn’t overly look happy, but he didn’t seem angry, either. “Did you hear about Design Lite and the financial issues they were having?” Paul’s hand landed on hers where it rested next to the napkin on the table. It was damp and cold. She forced a pleasant look of interest on her face and silently calculated how many minutes were left on her break.
Chapter 6
Ty walked into the diner. His leg was bothering him some, and he hoped he hadn’t overdone it at the gym. He’d done exactly what his therapist and trainer had told him to. He even had his therapist on a video call most of his workouts, which had garnered him some strange looks, but he didn’t care. He never had a problem sticking to the protocol and pushing through. It was probably the main reason he was successful—his ability to do whatever it took.
The door hadn’t closed behind him before his eyes landed on Louise. Her back was toward him, but she had the same hat on as yesterday, and the same golden blond hair fell in waves out the back of it. Her hand was on the table, and the little twerp who’d been talking to her at the wedding reception had his flimsy, white paw over it. Ty gritted his jaw, tempted to turn around and walk right back out. He had no rights where Louise was concerned, but he didn’t have to torture himself.
His feet, with a mind of their own, walked to the table he’d had yesterday. He figured Louise hadn’t seen him come in, although she had to have heard the bell ring. Still, several more patrons came in before she rose from where she was seated and looked around the restaurant. She froze when her eyes met his. He could see her straighten and her chin lift, which made his heart sad. That she would feel like she needed extra reserves of strength to deal with him.
Maybe the best thing he could do for her was to leave.
He looked down at his hands on the table. He’d wanted to give her a pretty apology, explain everything that had been going on, and tell her things that no one else knew. The fight with his dad and what it was about, and the guilt he felt afterward. None of it excused his behavior, but maybe it would make what he’d done to her a little less wrong. Maybe she’d be able to forgive him.
But from the look on her face and her reaction to his presence, she wasn’t going to be any more willing to talk to him today than she had been yesterday.
Maybe that was part of his punishment. That he didn’t get to explain.
A shadow fell across the table, and her scent drifted to his nose. He breathed in, savoring the scent he’d never forgotten and always cherished.
A glass of water appeared in front of him along with a dish of lemon wedges. “Do you want something more to drink?” Her voice was businesslike and brisk.
He stared at his hands, needing the straightening of his shoulders and the extra deep breath he took to bolster his own courage.
He looked up, prepared for the jolt that always hit him when their eyes met. “I’m sorry for what I did to you. I told you I’d be back. That there would be more to our relationship than just midnight meetings, but that turned out to be a lie. I didn’t mean to lie at the time—”
“Do you know what you want, or should I come back?” she interrupted him, a bored look on her face as her eyes focused on a point just above his head.
“I want you to know I’m sorry.”
“Now I know.” She lifted a slender shoulder, her facial expression never changing. “I’ll come back for your order.” She bustled away before he could say anything more.
He hadn’t ordered anything, and water was free. He got up, settling his hat on his head, ignoring the curious looks of the other patrons, and walked toward the door.
LOUISE LISTENED WITH one ear while a regular customer gave his order. Ty had put his hat on and started to get up. And she felt awful.
Sure, a bunch of years ago, he’d treated her bad. But her behavior today was inexcusable. Just because she still felt the pain, just because she looked into the eyes of his daughter every day, just because she’d struggled on her own, without his help, none of that gave her the right to treat someone else so blatantly bad.
“How’s the open-faced roast beef? Don’t believe I’ve ever had that before.” Mr. Jabinginsky asked, running a work-roughened hand over his thinning hair. Ever since his wife had died about three years ago, he came in almost every evening to eat.
Paul always got the roast beef. Louise smiled sweetly. “The turkey is delicious.”
“You’re right. I really like that. Tastes just like Myra’s. I’ll take that, and if you have any of that apple pie back there, I’ll take a slice for dessert.”
“I’ll see what Patty made today. I know there’s pumpkin and shoo-fly.”
“If there’s no apple, I’ll take shoo-fly.”
“I’ll see what we’ve got, Mr. Jabinginsky.”
“Thanks, kiddo.”
It always made her smile when he called her “kiddo.” Like she didn’t have an eight-year-old of her own.
A glance at the door and out the windows at the twilight-lit streets showed that Ty was nowhere in sight.
“Hey, Louise, I need a water!”
“I need a refill, too.”
“Coming right over, guys,” she said as she hurried out the door that Ty had just walked through.
“Ty!” she called. He was already heading down the street.
He swung around. His eyes widened. That face, so familiar and beloved, so much like Tella’s with the eyes and chin. The broad shoulders and powerful stance. She could feel all the emotions she’d carefully swept away and buried over the years come rushing back.
He’d started toward her. “Yeah?” he said as he got closer.
Whatever she’d planned to say had gone right out of her head. He’d grown some, filled out a lot. He wasn’t the boy she knew that summer, what felt like a lifetime ago. But her heart raced, like it all happened just yesterday, and her legs wanted to start walking toward him. It wouldn’t be hard for her to fall right back into the same mistake.
“Louise?”
His voice was sm
ooth and deep. Steel wrapped in velvet. It sent shivers out her back and down her arms. She straightened her spine. She wouldn’t allow herself to be stupid again.
Grabbing onto the first thought in her head, she said, “We need to talk about Harvest Fest.”
His face registered confusion, like what she’d said wasn’t anything he’d been expecting. “Um, I know I’m helping to plan it. With the pianist. But I don’t know who the pianist is.”
“Me.”
His mouth opened. Then one side slowly curved up in the lopsided grin that made him look way too appealing. No wonder he was a ladies’ man. And she’d been his first conquest.
“I’m down with that,” he said, his voice coating her insides like melted chocolate.
“I’ll bring the stuff to work tomorrow. After the evening rush, you can help me if you want.”
“I want.” His hat was pulled low over his eyes, so it had to be her imagination that felt his gaze burning into her.
“Fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah,” he said, somehow making that one word sound like the solemnest of vows.
THE NEXT NIGHT, TY waited a little longer to go to the gym. He’d timed it perfectly, because he finished his meal just as the diner cleared out. He hated that Louise looked so tired and worn. He wanted to ease her load, carry her burden, but she’d barely been civil to him, and he felt like he was pushing his luck even being with her. If he bided his time and was patient, maybe she’d loosen up. He answered the few emails that he needed to, from his agent, his coach, and the team publicist, while he waited for her to finish up for the night.
Finally, she brought some folders and two pens over and slid into the seat across from him. She didn’t sigh, but he could see the relief on her face from being able to get off her feet.
He put his phone in his pocket. As he shifted, his knee brushed hers under the table. Her eyes widened, and her knuckles turned white as she squeezed the pen she held.
Was she irritated? Or did his touch affect her? His leg pricked, and he fought to keep himself from brushing her again, this time on purpose.
Cowboys Don't Have a Secret Baby Page 5