The Rancher's Surprise Marriage

by Susan Crosby

  “You also flat-out told me you needed someone who can keep secrets.”

  After a moment she laughed.

  “I’m chivalrous,” he said. “That’s all you need to know.”

  Her cell phone rang, and she jumped. She’d left the phone on the coffee table behind her. “That could be Scott,” she said haltingly. “I should answer it. We need to—”

  “Get the details worked out,” Tony said, finishing her sentence as she took a step back. He picked up his glass and took a sip. “Go right ahead.”

  She answered the phone then mouthed Scott’s name. Tony took his glass and wandered to the window again, listening to her talk to her ex-fiancé, figuring out a game plan, which involved agents, managers, publicists, trusted journalists and others, as if they were making a big business deal.

  He heard her say, “The less you know about him, the better,” which made Tony make eye contact with her. “I’m marrying him. That’s all you need to know. Hey, you’re coming out the good guy here, so just drop it, okay?”

  Tony lifted his glass to her then took a sip.

  His gut reaction to her proposal had been to say no. He’d changed his mind because he never backed away from conflict or controversy. After turning forty last month, he’d come to realize how dissatisfied he was, had always been. As the youngest of four, he’d forever been playing catch up to his brothers, always pushing to match or surpass their success, even back in his rodeo days. Expectations had been high for him, the pressure enormous.

  Instead of falling in step, however, he’d bucked the system—and his family—and had become the black sheep, rebellious, even antisocial to a degree.

  The second he’d graduated from high school, he’d hit the rodeo circuit, avoiding going home to visit or even calling. He’d gone into it angry, because his father hadn’t believed in him, so Tony had focused on winning and little else. It was no wonder his marriage had failed. He’d needed to create a new family for himself. He failed at it. Yeah, way to prove to his father he was a winner.

  Not that women still hadn’t been drawn to him, but he never kept any of them around for long, sometimes their choice, most times his.

  So he’d decided he needed to make a change in his life, even before Maggie McShane had come along. He wasn’t sure he could’ve asked for a bigger change than marrying her. And since it wasn’t going to be a real commitment, the plan was exactly suited to him, something to jump-start his new life. Maybe this famous, beautiful movie star wasn’t exactly what he’d had in mind as a change, but she’d do.

  “That’s done, then,” Maggie said, snapping her phone shut. “I need to talk with my publicist. She’ll take care of the details. Will you be available for a press conference tomorrow? I think we should do this in person and let people see us together making goo-goo eyes at each other, rather than issuing a statement for someone else to read.”

  “Goo-goo eyes?”

  She laughed. “You know what I mean.”

  “I’m supposed to look like I’m sweet on you. Got it.” He paused. “I’ve got one condition to this whole business, Margaret.”

  She lost her smile. Wariness dulled her eyes. “What’s that?”

  “I’ll be the one to decide when to end the marriage, not you.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you’re running this entire show, otherwise. Doesn’t sit well with me.”

  “It’s a big condition.”

  “Take it or leave it.” He needed control over something in this whole business, especially the right to end things if it all turned sour sooner than expected.

  She stuck out her hand. “Deal.”

  “And a prenup,” he added.

  “Also a deal.”

  He took her hand and pulled her close. He’d never really answered her question about them sharing a bed, only she had. He had no intention of having a sexless marriage to this sexy woman, but he knew he needed to woo her. She’d acted out of hurt last night. He didn’t want her again unless it was him she was wanting.

  Just him.

  “Normally a handshake’d do it for me, but not this time.” He’d been waiting all night to kiss her again, wondering if reality matched the fantasy floating around in his head all day. He gave it his all, wanting to remind her of last night, too. He didn’t let her hold back but demanded the passion he knew was inside her. He heard her moan, felt her mouth open more, and her fingers dig into him. The same heat he’d felt before flared again. It wasn’t a fantasy. She was real. And she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. Not sleep together? Like hell. One way or another he was going to end up where they started.

  “Maggie,” came a woman’s voice. “Oh! Oh, I’m so sorry.” Maggie’s assistant turned tail.

  “What is it, Leesa?” Maggie asked, easing free of him.

  “Garnet just landed in Phoenix. We’re supposed to powwow, I gather.”

  “Garnet’s my publicist,” Maggie said to Tony. “We’ll probably be up a good part of the night working out the details. She’s fast on her feet, though. You can stay, if you want, or I can fill you in tomorrow.”

  He gathered he wasn’t being invited to spend the night here at the hotel.

  “I’m sorry,” she said quietly, her hand on his arm. “I’ve also got lines to learn tonight.”

  “I think I’ll stay a spell and see how the wheels turn in your business.” A smart man learned everything he could so as to not look the fool. “But, Margaret—you’ll be moving into my house tomorrow at the end of the day.”

  She didn’t say anything for a long, tense moment, then she turned to Leesa, whose eyes went wide at their conversation. Just wait until she heard they were getting married. “We’re going to need food, Leesa. And once Garnet arrives, I’ll need you and Dino to join us, too, so get enough food for five.”

  “Oh. Okay.” She left, then Maggie said, “Let’s sit down.”

  He could do that. He just wasn’t going to change his mind. She would move to his house or else. “I’m not moving in with you here,” he said as they sat on the sofa.

  “I don’t expect you to. But me moving in with you isn’t a quick and easy task. I have staff that have to be accommodated. Security arrangements to be made.”

  “Staff? How many?”

  “I’m traveling light at the moment. Just Leesa and Dino. And Garnet now, of course, but she can stay here at the hotel. I hope she won’t need to hang around long.”

  “Who’s Dino?”

  “The head of my security, and for this trip, my driver. Because of all the hoopla, he’s called three others of his crew here. They’ll need to be put up.”

  “I can find room for Leesa. As for Dino and the rest—I guard my own.”

  She frowned. “You’d be spending every minute chasing people off, and they’d still find ways to get close. Really, Tony, you have no idea what you’re in for.”

  “Then I’ll hire my own people.”

  She set a hand on his thigh. “Dino would just as soon spend the night in a sleeping bag on your porch than not be close enough to guard me. No, don’t say anything yet. Please let me finish. I understand your man-need to take care of me. But it’s been Dino’s job for ten years. He won’t back down. And you two really have to get along. It’s important. I’m comfortable with him, Tony. Doesn’t that count?”

  She didn’t get it, Tony thought. There could be only one boss in any given situation. In this one, he was it.

  “I’ll work it out with him.” He stood. If he sat there another second he was going to haul her to the bedroom, and that wasn’t allowed. Yet. “You said you had lines to learn? Why don’t you work on those until your publicist gets here. I wouldn’t mind watching the Diamondbacks game. I don’t need sound for that.”

  He didn’t give her a chance to say no but grabbed the remote, turned on the huge-screen TV and plunked himself into a big leather chair. Out of the corner of his eye he saw when she finally moved, going to a console table and grabbing a stack of p
apers.

  She paced, gesturing, speaking too quietly to hear the words. He tried to act interested in the game. He couldn’t have cared less, much as he loved his D-backs.

  An assortment of food was delivered. She didn’t stop, continuing to memorize while eating and walking at the same time.

  He was a little worried about her. The first time he’d seen her on set a few days ago, she’d looked rested and happy. Now she looked…older, and there were channels between her brows that he’d bet anything she’d been taught forever to avoid. Frown lines were, well, frowned on in her line of work. Just his guess, anyway. He knew she hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before, and wouldn’t tonight. He might have to step in and handle things.

  The next time the door opened, in came a guy taller than Tony’s own six foot four who carried a solid fifty pounds more. His head was shaved. He wore a suit and tie, even in the Arizona heat. There wasn’t a visible drop of sweat on him. The famous Dino, Tony figured.

  Beside him was a black-haired, green-eyed, size-two woman, maybe a few years older than Maggie, but sophisticated in ways Maggie wasn’t. There was just something edgy about her…He wasn’t sure what to make of her.

  “Oh, my God. Food. Thank you, thank you,” she said, heading to the dining table. “I recognize you,” she said to Tony. “You’re the cowboy who changed our world.”

  “Garnet Halvorsen,” Maggie said, “meet Tony Young. My fiancé.”

  Chapter Five

  No one could accuse Garnet of underreacting, Maggie thought moments after introducing Tony. Garnet went ballistic, instantly, magnificently, storming around the room, uttering dire warnings of career-altering backlash for jumping from one man to the next in the span of a day. Maggie let her rant, knowing she needed to get it out of her system.

  Leesa, on the other hand, just fixed herself a sandwich and ate.

  Dino’s expression didn’t change.

  “I know we’ve just met, Ms. Halvorsen,” Tony interrupted, probably reaching the end of his patience, “but would you please just sit down and let’s talk about this. I don’t see how you’re doin’ any good here.”

  Maggie could’ve kissed him. A cool head should prevail, and she was glad it was his, glad he wasn’t a man who would just go along. Her admiration of him notched a little higher.

  Maggie sat in the dining chair that Tony held for her. The others followed suit, even Dino, although he had to be ordered. He was happiest standing on the fringes, whether the event was big or small.

  “First,” Tony said, taking Maggie’s hand, “Maggie didn’t jump from one man to the next in a day. She did her best to resist. But, frankly, once I saw her, I was determined to have her. And that was that.”

  Maggie kept her shock to herself. If he wanted to handle the situation this way, who was she to complain? Chivalrous, indeed, if also a tad arrogant. She liked him even more.

  “I’m confused,” Garnet said. “Didn’t you two just meet, like, yesterday?”

  “So it would seem to the world,” he said. “Actually we met before that. No one needs to know the details. She rebuffed me, even flashed her ring at me, but I got pushy. I’m not known for my patience.”

  Maggie clamped her lips against the laughter that threatened. “Patience” certainly was a strong suit of his.

  Garnet looked at Maggie then. “Okay. Love conquers all, and all that crap. But couldn’t you have ended the engagement with Scott, given it a few weeks and then gone public with your new love?”

  “If the photo hadn’t hit the airwaves, we could have and would have,” Maggie said. “But we weren’t given that option, and now there has to be an explanation, right? Otherwise people will think I was cheating on Scott. My engagement with Scott was already over when the picture was taken.” She felt Tony squeeze her hand in encouragement.

  “So, what are your plans? I need details, because people will want details.”

  “The wedding will go on as scheduled, except with a different groom. Scott will give his own statement, saying he’s happy for me, that he only wants the best for me, yada, yada. Tony and I will hold a press conference and issue our own statement, then we’ll field a few questions. You can prearrange those with some people you trust, right, Garnet?”

  “Of course. Listen, are you sure about having the wedding? Because if this wedding doesn’t stick, you’re risking your future. Your career was built on your good-girl image, on and off the screen—an easy thing to pull off because it was true. Tarnish doesn’t make for good box-office receipts, and you’re young enough to enjoy another ten years of the lucrative roles you’ve had.”

  “People also love a great romance, Garnet. This is the kind of stuff my movies are made of. I don’t think it’ll hurt. Not this one time, anyway.”

  “Maybe.” Garnet slanted a look at Tony. “What’s your background? What kind of dirt will the press gather on you? And tell me the truth. I can only take care of what I know.”

  “I was a pro rodeo rider for twelve years, did well enough to get myself inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame a while back after winning the All-Around Cowboy five times.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “That I was the top-dollar winner in two or more events each of those years.”

  “So, there’s money in rodeoing?”

  “I did okay. Made more on endorsements.”

  “Like any other sport.”

  “Yep. I won my spread in a poker game. It came with a manure-load of hard work, and I’m breaking even now most years. Was married once, a long time ago. She left me for a Philadelphia banker and a better life. I have a big family, a simple life and a lot of memories, some good, some not. I sowed plenty of oats, but that’s in my past. I think I’m pretty ordinary.”

  Maggie learned more about him in that one little speech than she’d known. It was boggling to think she was committed to marrying someone she knew so little about. But, ordinary? Nope. He was far from ordinary.

  “And you love Maggie?” Garnet asked.

  The room went quiet. He lifted their clasped hands and kissed her fingers. “She’s everything.”

  “You’re not answering the question. Believe me, people much tougher than me are going to ask it.”

  “And I’ll tell ’em to just look at us and decide for themselves. The words we say to each other aren’t for public consumption. Her private life’s gonna be just that.”

  He would present himself well to the press, Maggie thought. She didn’t need to worry about that at all. She did need to worry about his fantasy that her—their—private life would stay private. Apparently he was going to have to find out the hard way that it wasn’t in the realm of possibility.

  “Maggie and I want as much normalcy as we can manage,” Tony said, “given her star status and the public interest in her personal affairs. We’ll be available for the one press conference tomorrow. After that, we’re done.”

  Garnet shook her head. “I’ll have interview requests from the networks, cable, plus print media the moment you announce your engagement. You’ll have to choose someone. Scott’s waiting for you to talk first, before he says anything, right?”

  “Yes, and Tony and I will discuss each potential interview and make up our minds together,” Maggie answered, knowing Tony would just keep refusing. “Garnet, you said you were starved, so let’s eat and relax, then we’ll finish up with the details.”

  “I’m giving you all half an hour,” Tony said. “She’s going to bed after that and getting a good night’s sleep.”

  A half hour went by, then Tony, true to his word, said, “Enough,” which almost brought tears to Maggie’s eyes. A lot of people helped take care of her, but it was about the details in her life, not her personally. It had been a long time since anyone had told her it was time to go to bed, but she was grateful he was stepping in for the moment, taking charge, even if he was only playing a role. She was too tired and emotionally wrung-out to think clearly.

  Everyone stood. G
arnet obviously was annoyed, but Maggie didn’t understand why. Maybe she thought she could talk Maggie out of the marriage or something. Of course, Garnet’s income also depended on Maggie continuing to do well, but Maggie believed her fans wouldn’t criticize her in the end, not once they heard the whole story, such as it was, such as Tony had created, making himself a bit of a villain, after all, going after an engaged woman. A bad-boy image wouldn’t hurt him in women’s eyes.

  “I’ll be back in a few,” he said quietly to her. “Dino and I are going to have a discussion.”

  “I can’t lose him,” she whispered back. “Once you and I end the marriage, I’m going to need him, you know.”

  Tony gave her an unfathomable look. “I admire loyalty, Margaret. He’ll still be at your beck and call. Are you done memorizing your lines?”

  “For tonight. I’ll get up early tomorrow. I’m too tired to do more now.”

  “Why don’t you get ready for bed, then. I won’t be long.”

  He won’t be long? What did that mean? That he would come back to say good-night? That he was going to join her?

  That wasn’t even an option, right?

  Leesa was the only person left in the suite.

  “You okay?” Maggie asked.

  She sighed. “Mags, I know you want me kept in the dark for a reason, but I’m pretty sure I have the situation all figured out. You don’t want to confide, okay, but don’t ignore me.”

  Maggie saw hurt in her friend’s eyes. She hugged her. “I’m so sorry. It’s not my intention to ignore you. It’s just that I’m not really in control of my life at the moment. I need you as much as ever. It’ll all settle down again soon, I promise.”

  Leesa sniffed. “Thanks. I feel better.”

  “Good. Now how do you feel about cowboys?”

  “They’re probably fun to ride.” She grinned. “You could verify that for me.”

  “I could, but I won’t. Here’s the thing. You and I will be moving to Tony’s ranch tomorrow, so you’ll need to pack up at some point during the day.”

  “Sure thing. What will you want to wear for the press conference?”