Someone was going to end up hurt. He walked out of his room, planning to put an end to the farce. Felicia’s voice coming from the living room grated on his nerves, and he cringed. There was no backing out now. It was going to be pure misery touching Lee Ann, knowing she hated to be touched.
As soon as one foot hit the first floor, Felicia was upon him.
“Engaged? What a surprise, Gunther. Somehow I’m finding it hard to believe.” Her eyes flashed with rage.
“Not so hard, I’m sure.” He walked over to the chair Lee Ann sat on and kissed her cheek. “We grew up together.”
Lee Ann glanced up at him and gave him a loving smile. Hoo boy, she was a good actress.
“Is that so?” Felicia sat down in the chair next to Lee Ann. She sat at the edge of the seat.
Lee Ann nodded. “One of the reasons I left the ranch in the first place was because Gunther saw me as a child and not as the woman I was. I was wearing my heart out on him, and just became too hard.”
“As far as I could tell by looking at pictures on the internet, you bounced back rather quickly. Wouldn’t you agree, Gunther?”
He seethed while trying to maintain an outward look of calm. “We’re putting that unfortunate happening behind us. I know we have a bright and happy future ahead of us.” He brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. “Don’t we, darling?”
Lee Ann nodded. “I’m very blessed. Shall we take our seats in the dining room?” She stood, put her arm through his, and glanced up at him with a warm smile.
Gunther gestured for Felicia to go ahead of them. He glanced at Lee Ann and winked at her. Her blush warmed him.
Agnes stood next to the table with a bottle of champagne in her hand. “Gunther, would you open this? I never did get the hang of it.”
Gunther kissed Agnes on her cheek as he took the bottle from her. “Grab a glass for yourself. You’ve been a big part of our lives.”
Happiness spread over her face as she took a crystal flute from the cabinet. It seemed so right, Gunther had to remind himself it was all pretend. He filled each glass and then raised his to Lee Ann.
“I’ve known you forever. You know what I’m going to say before I even say it. It broke my heart the day you left, and I’m so glad you’re back. Thank you for saying yes when I asked you to marry me.” He took a sip of his champagne as did the others. All he wanted to do was lean over and kiss Lee Ann, but he didn’t want to overplay his hand.
Felicia wasn’t enjoying herself if the hangdog expression on her face was any indication.
“Congrats. Too bad your dad wasn’t here to walk you down the aisle.” She seated herself at the table.
Gunther groaned inwardly. Happiness seemed to drain out of Lee Ann. Felicia definitely knew what buttons to push. “Yes, but he knew. He gave me his blessing before he died, and I like to think it eased his mind at the end.”
Lee Ann shot him a quick, startled glance then nodded. “I’m sure it did. You’ve been planning this.”
“Since before you left for the city lights.”
Agnes pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket and dabbed at her eyes. “This is so romantic.”
“Reminds me of a romantic movie.” Felicia smiled. “Sometimes those movies have strange twists in them.”
Lee Ann just stared at Felicia as though she was trying to figure her out.
When everyone was seated, Gunther reached over and gave Lee Ann’s hand a gentle squeeze. He was rewarded with a beautiful smile. His heart opened, and he wanted it all to be true. But it wasn’t true, at least not for her. With that thought, his heart squeezed painfully.
“So, Lee Ann, I’m curious if you have a dress for the ball next week.” Felicia pushed her plate away and leaned back in her chair. “If you don’t I could take you shopping in town.”
Dang it, she was up to something. Gunther had all but forgotten about the Dancing Under the Lights Ball they held yearly as a way to reach out to the community.
Lee Ann faltered for the barest second. Then a smile spread across her face. “I’m set, but thank you for the offer.”
After dinner, they stood on the front porch and bid Felicia good night. Lee Ann smiled at him.
“It’s such a beautiful night. Let’s go for a walk,” she suggested.
Gently, he took her hand and led her down the porch steps. They walked over to the horse pasture and watched a few of the mares. “I’m surprised to see Sabrina out there. Doesn’t she usually go back to her stall at night?”
Lee Ann laughed. “If you can catch her, you can bring her in. She’s decided she likes it better outside. Of course, we could always rope her and bring her in, but I think she’ll be just fine for now. We’ll reevaluate when the weather gets cold.”
Her face glowed under the moonlight, and he couldn’t have stopped even if he wanted to. He leaned down and his lips found her soft, sweet ones. He hesitated at her initial gasp but then he realized she was kissing him back. His instinct was to scoop her up and carry her off to a place where he could explore every inch of her. But he knew better. It was too soon, she was hurting too much.
So he kissed her until it became too uncomfortable for him. Then he slowly pulled away from her and stared into her eyes. They were full of happiness and wonder and what he wished was love.
“Whew, that was some kiss,” he said.
Lee Ann nodded. “All that champagne went right to my head, I guess.”
He highly doubted the champagne had anything to do with their kiss but he smiled. “We’d best be getting back.” The walk wasn’t long and he kissed her on the cheek as he said good-bye at the foot of the stairs. He waited as she walked up to the guest room. Then he slipped into his study for a shot of whiskey.
Chapter Seven
Lee Ann stared at herself in the mirror. The long black gown didn’t leave much to the imagination. She should have insisted on a different dress but Gunther wanted her to wear this one. It was their annual Dancing Under the Lights Ball. She’d never been invited to go before, though she had watched from her window.
She’d watched her father shake one hand after another. He never danced. The women had always been finely dressed, but she never took much notice to what they wore exactly. She’d been busy trying to catch a glimpse of Gunther. It had been a game to her except for the last year she’d been at the ranch, when she had watched as he danced with every beautiful young woman in attendance. That night had been her deciding factor for leaving the ranch. She had known in that moment she wouldn’t be able to take it if Gunther married another and obviously, no one had thought her old enough to attend the ball.
Her brown hair was swept up and she loved the way it looked but the dress…
“Lee Ann! Gunther asked me to escort you outside!” Woody yelled from outside her door.
“Coming!” She didn’t have a wrap or a clutch purse at the main house. She hadn’t given it much thought. She smiled, at least she had shoes that were pretty even if they did pinch her feet.
She opened the door and grinned. “Wow, Woody! Look at you! You’ll make all the woman’s hearts beat fast tonight.”
He grinned back as he offered her his arm. “You’re looking all kinds of good too. Gunther is anxious to have you by his side.” They walked down the steps and outside. The field they used for parking was getting crowded. “I’m happy for you both. I know it’s been a few weeks, but I haven’t had a chance to tell you that.”
All the felicitations were making her uncomfortable. She hated lying to everyone she cared about. Announcing their engagement hadn’t made Felicia back off. In fact, it was as though she was up for the challenge of stealing Gunther away.
A dance floor had been set up in the yard, and the scent of barbecue filled the air. Tables had been set everywhere. It always struck her as funny to see white tablecloths on the ranch. People were sipping drinks and mingling. It might be fun after all.
She took her arm from Woody’s and clasped her hands in front of her. What would
Gunther think? Would he like the dress on her? Seeing a dress on a mannequin was vastly different than seeing it on a person.
He separated himself from the group of men he was talking to as she approached, and her mouth went dry. Jiminy Crickets! He was such a handsome man. His black suit, bolo tie, and shiny black boots only enhanced his good looks. Women would be drooling after him all evening.
He whistled. “Wow! Look at you! You are so lovely, you take my breath away.” He captured her hand, drew it to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles.
She could get used to this pretending if it was all about compliments and smiles.
Heat rushed to her face. “Thank you. You look very nice yourself.”
He walked down the steps and grabbed her hand. “I’m proud to have you by my side.”
“How red is my face?” she murmured. “You need to lay off with the compliments.”
He gave her an odd smile. “We’ll have quite a showing tonight. My dad would have been pleased.”
“Mine too. Should I take off the engagement ring?”
He stopped walking and stared at her. “Of course not. Let’s get a drink and mingle.”
She squeezed his hand. “I’m no good at mingling. I never say the right thing. Half the time they talk about things I don’t care about and my mind drifts, and then they want my opinion. If anyone starts in about recipes, I’m going to scream.”
Gunther’s chuckle was loud and many heads turned their way. “We’ll keep it short and sweet. After all, we’ll have to greet each guest. That should take up half the night and the other half I plan to dance with you.” He grinned at her. “I promise I won’t ask you for a single recipe.”
“Thank heavens for that!” She took the glass of champagne a waiter offered. “Let’s get this done.”
“Your father used to say that.”
“I know.”
The next few hours were pure hell for her. Shaking hands, getting kissed on her cheek, and making conversation with people she didn’t know was unnerving. With each introduction she wondered if the person knew about her or if they’d seen her pictures. A few times, she tried to excuse herself but he knew. Gunther knew she wouldn’t come back. He could always read her. The next wave of guests were the late comers, the ones who thought they were important enough to make an entrance. Unfortunately, this group was full of beautiful, young women. By comparison, she was dressed like a nun.
She’d never wanted to rip the hair off people’s heads before, but now that was all she wanted to do. That and smudge the lipstick on all the pouty lips that happened their way. Instead, she grinned and bore it. She could do this. It was only one night, and she had Gunther to lean on.
One overdressed couple pushed their way in front of the receiving line. They reminded her of Barbie and Ken dolls. Gunther tensed, and Lee Ann had a bad feeling.
They approached and Gunther smiled. “Lee Ann, this is Roberto Perez and Kimberly Gleason.”
Kimberly looked Lee Ann up and down before she frowned. “I don’t see what all the fuss is about. Do you, Roberto?”
Lee Ann was stunned.
“She looks better without her clothes. Her assets need to be on display.” He stared at her chest.
Before she knew it, Woody and Angus were pulling Gunther off Roberto. Roberto looked like he’d been kicked in the face by a mule.
“Leave. Now!” Gunther stood straight and proud until the couple was off his property. He held his handkerchief against his lip. “I apologize. Please continue with the party.” He touched her cheek and nodded. “I’ll be right back.”
She downed the rest of the champagne in her glass in one gulp, and a waiter brought her a fresh one immediately. She’d lived here most of her life, but many of the guests weren’t people she’d seen before. She wished she had a best friend besides Gunther. A female friend she could confide in. But she stood in a crowd of people feeling so very alone.
It didn’t take long before she was being stared at. The pictures. She decided to go check on Gunther when a man stepped into her path. She gasped aloud. It was Kevin Burns. She took a step back, stumbling a bit.
He grabbed her upper arm and righted her. Then he pulled her onto the dance floor. Lee Ann willed herself to remain calm, but it was hard. He held her against his body, grabbing her rear end and kissing her neck.
“Shh, just dance. You don’t want another incident here tonight, do you? Gunther probably lost some buyers already by his barbaric actions.”
A hysterical laugh bubbled up inside of her until she couldn’t keep it in any longer. “You don’t identify with his barbaric actions? What the heck do you call beating a woman so badly she had to miss two weeks of work? I would call that barbaric—”
His repugnant lips closed over hers. She squirmed, but he held tight, and she didn’t dare make him mad.
She sensed Gunther before she saw him. He looked outwardly calm but she knew better. “Miss Simpson, I think we have a few things to discuss. Excuse us, Mr. Burns.” Gunther took her hand in a punishing grip and walked so fast she could barely keep up in her high heels.
She wanted to beg him to slow down, but there were people everywhere giving her condemning looks. Her heart sank, and a great emotional pain engulfed her. Kevin had gotten his revenge. He was probably sitting in his car outside the gates waiting for her to come out with a suitcase.
As soon as the office door closed, fear filled her. Gunther’s eyes were filled with rage. He let go of her hand and she almost fell over. She grabbed onto one of the chairs in front of his desk and then sat down while her legs shook.
“How did you end up in Kevin’s arms? Am I missing something? I thought you hated him?” He ran his hand over his face as pain filled his eyes. “I need the truth from you. Why was he here and why were you kissing him?”
“I didn’t invite him. You must already know that. I don’t understand why you’re acting as though I did something wrong!”
“I’m not sure what was happening out there. I do know that everyone saw you. That man had no right to be on my property. Why didn’t you just walk away when you saw him?”
Lee Ann’s heart dropped. He obviously doubted her. It was too much to bear. Her life had been nothing but fear and doubt until recently. She hoped that she and Gunther… “I thought you knew me better than that. I can’t stay where my integrity is in question. I’ve lived that way and I refuse to live that way again.” She waited for his apology but it didn’t happen.
She slid the ring off her finger and with shaking hands she put the ring on his desk. She stared at him waiting for him to ask her to stay and the longer she stared the more her heart broke. “I guess this is it then.”
“I suppose so. I wanted to make the engagement real.” He paused as though he was reining in his temper. “Figure out where you want to go. I’ll have someone take you to the bus station in the morning.” His fists were balled by his sides and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.
“I didn’t invite him here. It’s not what you think—”
“Right now I’m too mad to hear anything you have to say. Figure out where you want to go.” He picked up the ring and put it in his pocket before he left slamming the door behind him.
Stunned, she sat there. What in heaven’s name happened? Where could she go? How could she bear to leave? A fresh start would be good. Her father had left her a bit of money. Gunther was going to make the engagement real? As that thought struck, her heart shattered. A marriage between them would have never worked. He didn’t trust her enough.
She went upstairs to her room and watched from the window. There were many women there to console Gunther. She couldn’t watch anymore; it hurt too much. She slipped off her dress and opted for jeans, a T-shirt, and a pair of boots. Quietly, she left the house. She didn’t dare saddle a horse so she walked to her father’s grave.
As soon as she saw his grave marker, she burst into tears. This was where her best friend was. She’d never felt
his loss so profoundly until now. The grief became unbearable. Rocking herself back and forth on the ground, she cried. Then she lay her head down next to the spot he was buried and fell asleep.
She woke up to the chatter of squirrels in the tree above her. She smiled briefly until grief took her. At least her head was a bit clearer this morning. She might not be able to get a job as a writer but she was darn good with horses. There had to be plenty of ranches around where she could get a job. Her dad always said that people who fell down had to pick themselves back up and keep going. Good advice.
She began to walk back to the house when she saw Gunther on his horse heading toward her. She couldn’t face him, so she kept walking.
“Wait, Lee Ann,” Gunther called.
Hope filled her. He was going to ask her to stay. She stopped and turned toward him. The sad expression on his face negated all her hopes. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Did you want something?” she asked.
“As soon as you’re ready, I’ll take you to the bus station.” He turned his horse and rode away.
It was a mess of her own making. She never should have left the ranch in the first place. Really, who had she expected to hire a green writer?
He’d stood there smiling at her, asking her opinion of a page layout when he grabbed the back of her hair and then punched her hard in the gut. She doubled over unable to breath. He pulled her up by her hair and his sickly smile filled her with fear so great she froze. He hit her in the stomach again and when she went down, he kicked her over and over until there was nothing left for her to do but roll into a ball and try to protect her head.
She’d never felt such pain before, and the humiliation had been too much to bear. When she’d threatened to go to the police he had laughed at her. She defied him by leaving and he got his revenge. Hopefully she’d find a place where he’d never find her.
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