by Ciana Stone
“Like Wes. Stories about his success in the Dakotas always talked about him being able to smell oil.”
“Exactly. Oh, backtracking here. Back in the beginning, Quinlan started here in Texas. San Antonio. Had some success and was in constant competition with Herbert Pursell. He married into a wealthy family and moved to the Dakotas where he parlayed his wife’s money into an empire.”
“Oh I bet Herbert Pursell didn’t like that.”
“Apparently not. They’ve been rivals ever since.”
“But what does that have to do with Liz?” Cody couldn’t see the connection.
“Oh yeah, sorry. So, Liz got involved in trick riding while she was in college. When she graduated her father expected her to come back home and go to work for him. Only she didn’t. She went on the rodeo circuit.”
“And then started the stunt thing. And what about the husband?”
“Yeah on the stunt work. At least I’m assuming. And I don’t know about the husband. That’s as far as we’ve gotten in her background but my guys are still looking into it.”
“Well, at least we know she was telling the truth – or at least part of it.” Cody hated that Liz had to leave. She didn’t know Liz well but she liked her and it bothered her that anyone would be treated the way she had been by a parent.
“Oh she was telling the truth about the horse. There were a couple of articles mentioning how Quinlan’s horse was being trained and would be ridden by his daughter.”
“Wonder what made him change his mind? I mean if she had that good of a chance of winning why did he take it away from her?”
“That’s a good question and one we’re going to try to find an answer to.”
“You’re not going to get into trouble for this, are you?” Cody had felt a little guilty asking Jolene for the favor ever since she opened her mouth.
“No. I don’t think so. I can always convince the network to do a feature on Quinlan or even on Liz.”
“That’ll be hard. She up and left today.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. We were all set to go riding and Wes showed up. He called her out on who she was and she admitted it. He told her that her father is trying to have her charged with horse theft. Apparently she bought her horse, Traveler with money from a joint account she had with her father and he claims that as primary on the account the horse belongs to him. Anyway, Wes said she was in trouble and so was anyone who harbored her or that horse. So, she took off and went to Kyle’s. I guess to tell him.
“I loaned her my truck and then took Traveler back to Kyle’s. She was already packed and didn’t waste any time leaving.”
“So she’s running from her father?”
“I guess, but mostly I got the feeling that she’s just trying to protect Kyle and Wes. She doesn’t want her beef with her father spilling over onto them.”
“Where do you think she’ll go?”
“No clue, but I do know Kyle was pretty upset.”
“How can you tell? I mean, my god, talk about still waters. It’s really hard to tell what he’s feeling.”
“Yeah, he’s pretty tight-lipped and not given to displaying emotions, but I could tell. He and Liz – well, let’s just say there were some strong currents between those two. She was crying when she left and he looked like he’d been gut punched.”
“Did he say anything?”
“Not a word. I asked him if he was okay and he just said he had things to tend to.”
“Sounds like him. So what now?”
Cody shrugged. “Don’t know. Tried to talk to Wes but he was being all evasive and saying something about some oil thing and Liz being part of it. Made no sense at all.”
“Oil thing?”
“Yeah, with him it always comes back to oil. Oil and money, money and power.” She hated that fact. There was more to Wes, at least she wanted there to be. Maybe that’s what rankled her the most. She didn’t want to be interested in Wes Pursell.
“And you wish he was more than that.”
Cody looked away. “Doesn’t matter to me one way or the other.”
“I really wish you wouldn’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Pretend you don’t care about him. Come on, Cody, your friends see it. I see it. You don’t want to be interested in him but you are.”
Cody didn’t want to admit it, but she wasn’t going to lie. “Okay, maybe I am. But we always circle back to the same thing. He’s more interested in oil – in making money than anything else. I don’t give a shit about that, Jo. Never have. One thing my dad taught me is that if you want to have everything just take a look around and you’ll realize you already do.
“I don’t want someone because they have money and can take care of me. I can take care of myself. I’m not interested in being pampered or living a life of idleness. I want a man who loves me. Just me for who I am. Someone who can be my friend and lover. I want a partner in life, not a protector or sugar daddy but a partner.”
“And you don’t think Wes can be that man?”
There it was, the question she didn’t even want to ask herself, because she already knew the answer. “No, I don’t.”
“But you’re attracted to him.”
“Physically yes. But I don’t do that. Sex just for sex isn’t for me. Color me old-fashioned but when I have sex it has to mean something.”
“Oh girl, I’d never fault you for that. I tried it and you’re right. Meaningless sex is just that. Meaningless. I guess I just hoped that maybe Wes is the one.”
“I guess I did to. But hey, like my daddy always says, knowing the truth is half the battle.”
“Billy has a saying for almost everything, doesn’t he?”
Cody smiled. It was true. Her dad had a saying to help salve any ill. Well almost. So far nothing he’d said, or probably could say would ease the loneliness she felt. She didn’t want to always be alone. It was especially hard when she saw her friends like Jolene and Annie, so happy with the men they’d fallen in love with.
Sometimes it made her envious. Then she’d be reminded that it could be worse. Like right now. Liz was in love. Cody would bet the bar on that. She’d seen the way Liz looked at Kyle and she’d had to walk away. So maybe it was better not to have it than to have to give it up.
*****
Camping sucked. Liz grumbled as she tried to get comfortable on the ground. She hadn’t known where to go when she left Kyle’s so she just drove. Just before she crossed the county line she saw a sign for a camp ground.
It wasn’t easy to convince the campground manager to let her stay with a horse, but three times the going rate per night sealed the deal. The campground was situated on a lake and each campsite had power and a water spigot. There was a bath-house and a screened in building that could be rented for parties.
She’d gotten directions from the campground owner and driven to Rock Ridge, the closest town where she picked up feed for Traveler and food for herself. The grocery store even had cheap portable grills and Styrofoam coolers so she bought a couple, filled them with ice and got enough food to last her several days.
Her last stop had been at a store advertising camping gear on the window. She’d bought a sleeping bag and extra blanket. On the way back into the campground, she stopped at the office and bought a couple of bundles of wood and piled them in the back of her truck.
The day had felt endless and by twilight she was worn thin from sitting around and stewing over everything. She’d busied herself with preparing a meal, eating and cleaning up after herself and taking Traveler for a short ride along the lake shore.
Now it was well past midnight, Traveler was tethered to the truck with water and food close by and she was lying on the sleeping bag, trying without success to fall asleep. She tried to focus on the plan Cooper had outlined, but her thoughts kept going back to Kyle. Was she fooling herself or was there something there? She knew there was attraction, but she also knew that the time she’d spent wi
th him was important to her.
He was amazing with animals, was kind to people and he made her want to ease the pain she sensed in him. Seeing him smile was like watching the sun come out again after a storm. God help her, but she was falling in love with him and it was like jabbing a knife into her own heart to walk away.
After two hours, she couldn’t take it. On impulse she pulled out her phone and called his number.
“Liz?” His voice sounded sleepy, which conjured up visions she didn’t need in her head.
“I’m sorry to wake you.”
“Are you okay?”
“No.”
“Where are you?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does to me.”
“Why?”
“Liz… where are you?”
Liz knew better. She knew she had to leave, to get far away from Kyle and Wes, from everyone who knew her in Cotton Creek. Her father was a vindictive man and he wouldn’t think twice about hurting any of them if he thought it would, in turn, hurt her.
She knew that and still couldn’t stop herself from answering. “The Riverbed Campground.”
“I’m on my way.”
“Kyle wait.” Her senses returned a moment too late. The line was already dead.
Liz got up, tossed more wood on the fire and petted Traveler. It was a nice night. The moon was full and there was a slight breeze. Since her campsite had a lake view, this close to the lake the dust was not bad. Seems there was always dust in this part of Texas, but tonight she didn’t notice it. At least it wasn’t hot. She’d wanted to take a shower earlier, but was afraid to leave Traveler alone. Considering that she’d not seen another person in the campground, he’d probably be okay, but she didn’t feel good about it so once it got dark, she’d taken a bath in the lake.
Traveler seemed a little restless and she wondered if he was just picking up on her unsettled status. Would Kyle show up and what would she do if he did? She’d still have to leave. She had to meet Cooper in San Antonio in a few days and after that – well after that who knew?
She went to the trailer, found the grooming brushes and returned to Traveler. He loved the attention and it calmed her to focus on his grooming. When she finished, she put away the brushes, checked his water bucket and then rummaged through a cooler for a cold bottle of water.
Liz drank the water and sat on the tailgate of the truck, staring at the road that wound through the campground, waiting for the appearance of headlights. As time dragged on her eyes started to tire and she lay back in the truck bed.
A soft neigh from Traveler had her eyes popping open. She sat up and shaded her eyes with one hand. Headlights beamed at her just feet from the trailer. When the lights when out she was momentarily blind. By the time her night vision returned, it brought another kind of vision with it.
Kyle. Walking toward her. She slid off the tailgate of the truck and waited. He walked with a strong measured stride, not stopping until he had both hands cupping her face. Then he kissed her.
It was the last thing she’d expected and the thing she’d not dare dream of. His kiss spoke of passion and need and something much deeper. She felt the tension radiating through his body when she reached up to grip his forearms.
He drew back but didn’t move his hands from her face. “You can’t leave.”
“I have to. I told you— “
“No. You don’t understand. You can’t leave me.”
Nothing could have shocked her more and from the expression on his face, he was a bit surprised as well. His hands fell away and he stepped back. “I need you to stay.”
“Why?”
He blew out a breath, shook his head and looked down. “You think I’m some kind of player. Everyone does. A man who takes his pleasure from women and walks away. Maybe I am. Maybe that’s who I became, but it’s not who I was or who I want to be.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I know.”
“Then tell me.”
“So, it’s time for truth between us?”
His question brought clarity. “Yes.”
“Then tell me your truth, Liz.”
Ah, so here it was. The test. Liz nodded and hopped up on the tailgate to sit. “I was born Heather Elizabeth Quinlan. My mother is Bonita or Bonny Evans Quinlan McMann. Her father is Stuart Franklin Evans, a man who made his fortune in banking and venture capital. My father is Lucas Cooper Quinlan, the owner of Quinlan Energy. His is the third largest energy company in the world and he’s the most charismatic and the most ruthless man I’ve ever met.”
She couldn’t look at Kyle as she spoke, and barely recognized her own voice, it was so flat and void of emotion, but it was the only way to get the words out.
“I have a twin brother, Cooper. We grew up in South Dakota in a life of extreme affluence, the best of everything. Our mother loved us enough to stick it out with a man she’d come to realize had married her only for her money. The day after we graduated high school she left. She’s now married to Senator Thomas McMann and is finally happy.
“I graduated from Stanford with a Masters in Geophysics but instead of returning home as my father demanded, I went on the rodeo circuit as a trick rider. While doing that I met Morgan Redgate, a bull rider.
“I took money from a trust my grandfather set up to support us and finance his career. He was climbing the ranks. We were together for over two years and the day after he made it onto the pro circuit we were married. My father found out and demanded that I have the marriage annulled. It wasn’t a suitable match.”
As she talked, the emotions flooded in – the fury and the hurt – how betrayed she’d felt. It became an effort to keep the emotion from her voice.
“I told him to go to hell and he was furious. He sent men after us, to bring me home. Each time they found us we ran. They came for us one night in Tulsa. There was a terrible storm. They broke down the door of our motel room. We fought our way out with only the clothes on our backs and made it to our shitty old truck. I was driving.
“They chased us, rammed us, drove us off the road. The last thing I remember was Morgan yelling that he loved me. I woke up to discover myself in South Dakota. Three weeks had passed and my husband was dead.”
Liz looked up and saw the frown on his face. She couldn’t stop to wonder if it was inspired by disbelief. At this point it didn’t matter. She’d gone too far to stop now. He’d have her truth and then he would do with it what he wanted. That was up to him. She’d give him what he asked for.
“The day I was discharged my father sent a car for me, to take me home. When I walked in I was informed to appear in his private den. Once there he raked me over the coals about my irresponsibility and disloyalty. He said Morgan’s blood was on my hands and he hoped I’d learned my lesson.
“I didn’t utter a word. I just took a car, went to the airport and bought a ticket back to California. I wallowed in my misery for six months, drank, smoked pot, felt sorry for myself and cursed my father. Then I realized I was letting him win. I joined a support group. My first meeting I met a woman who did stunt work. She was a good fifteen years older than me. She took me under her wing.
“That’s how I got into stunt work. I threw myself into it and refused to speak to my father or brother. Three years passed. My mom called late one evening. There was an accident on a drill site. My brother Cooper was injured. I had to go to him. He pulled through and begged me to stay. He said he needed me.
“He was the one who came up with the idea of me getting into racing and convinced our father to go along with it. At least that’s what I thought. Everything was okay. I rarely saw my father. Then this big deal came along and my father wanted to reel in John Henderson. He’s a multi-billionaire who was born into wealth – pharmaceuticals mostly but also investment capital and hedge funds.”
Liz couldn’t face Kyle with the next part of her tale, so she looked down at the ground.
“I’d met John at a couple of social func
tions I attended with Coop. Even dated him a couple of times but he wasn’t my cup of tea. At all. He’s pretentious, arrogant and was completely scornful of the idea of me being in racing. He even went so far as to say that no wife of his would ever be allowed to do such a thing. She’d be the perfect arm decoration and behave accordingly.
“I said what the fuck ever. Not only was I not interested in that, but I had no interest at all in his sexual proclivities. He liked to think he was fifty shades of something, but it sure wasn’t anything I wanted to be part of. He wasn’t a dom, he was a sadist.
“So I wouldn’t date him, take his calls or attend any function he attended. My father blew up and called me an ungrateful brat. I called him an uncaring bastard who would sell his own child for money he didn’t need.
“My brother sided with him and told him that he could control me with Landing. Threaten to take Landing from me. That’s when he decided I couldn’t ride Landing and stole him from me. Sold him to Wes.
“And that’s my sordid tale.”
There was utter silence when she finished, silence that stretched on so long she started to wonder if he’d left at some point in her recitation and she hadn’t noticed. Then she felt his hand on her knee and she looked up.
“Did you love him?”
“What?”
“Your husband.”
“Yes. I did.”
“Do you still?”
Liz slid off the tailgate to face him. “Yes. He was my first love. I’ll always love him and what we had. Is that wrong?”
“No, it’s right. Very right.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You will.” He took her hand. “Come on let’s sit by the fire. You’re shivering.”
The temperature had dropped and the warmth from the fire felt good as they sat down on the sleeping bag. Kyle picked up a stick and poked at the fire. Liz wondered what he was thinking and what he’d meant.
“I was in love once.” He said quietly.
She looked up at him but didn’t speak so he continued. “I enlisted in the Army the day after I graduated. Thought the military would make a man out of me – get rid of my lack of confidence and shyness.
