"I am not selfish!" Temper boiled through her, but exhaustion kept her voice soft. "I don't want to make another mistake."
"You—we—have already made one error in judgment. I will never call that baby a mistake. But, we have the opportunity to make it right. We will get married, Queenie."
The idea of marrying someone who didn't love her made Queenie's insides shrink. That he'd make such a commitment out of duty made her respect Will's sense of honor, but her heart wanted something more. She thought she'd had it with Harry, but she'd been wrong. She couldn't choose to go into a relationship that she knew would be even less emotionally satisfying than her marriage was.
She felt something for Will. He challenged her and made her look forward to their encounters. He scared her with his intensity. He turned her on and made her wet and needy. And, she didn't want to admit it, but she loved being around him. Maybe she loved him…a little. But, that didn't change the fact that he wanted to marry her because of his honor and his sense of responsibility. Nor did she trust her own feelings. She'd been wrong before.
Pushing away from him, she crawled off his lap and stood, stiffening her spine as she pulled up her shorts. "Please go. Leave me to think."
He gave a low growl, but stood and put his belt back on. "This discussion isn't over."
Without a goodbye or another word, Will left her, cold and alone.
But she wasn't alone. A new life was with her. Someone so vulnerable and innocent that she couldn't quite come to grips with it. She had to do what was right. But what was that?
* * *
Chapter 6
Gabby pressed back into the shadows of the hallway as the man named Will stomped out the front door. She looked back toward the family room and then toward the door.
A little squeak escaped her as her fiancé, Ace Journey, grabbed her from behind and pulled her against his tall, hard body. "Eavesdroppin', li'l girl?"
She snuggled back against him. "Shh. She'll hear us."
A chuckle rumbled through his chest. "Queenie, hm?"
Gabby nodded. She turned and took him by the hand, leading him away from the family room and into the kitchen.
"What are you doing back here so soon?" she asked.
"Forgot my keys." He rubbed a lock of her chestnut hair between his fingers. "You look as intoxicatin' as Consuela's peach brandy, sweetheart."
The feeling of his moustache as he nuzzled her neck and breathed softly in her ear made her feel squirmy with anticipation. "You always compare me to peaches," she said on a sigh, wrapping her arms around him.
Ace chuckled softly. "That's because you're rounded and soft." He squeezed her bottom and pressed her up against him. Gabby could feel his hard masculinity against her belly. "And you smell sweet." He breathed in deeply by her ear. "And you're perfect to eat." His lips trailed down the side of her jaw before he took her mouth with his own.
It was totally distracting, and she forgot all about Queenie and Will for a few minutes. She thought maybe Ace was going to overlook his work for the day and take her back upstairs to their room. Fine with her!
But he didn't forget.
"What are you doin' lurkin' in the hallways?" he asked as he withdrew.
A slight warmth touched her cheeks as she shied away from his steady gaze. They'd been engaged just a few weeks, but he knew her so well. He was like Santa Claus, knowing when she'd been naughty or nice. The idea made her grin, but she answered him with an excited breathiness. "She's pregnant! I heard her tell Will!"
That took him by surprise. His dark brows inched up a notch before settling back down. It made her feel a little smug. This was one situation where their large difference in age was not giving him the advantage.
"That's not our business, Gabby, so you keep it to yourself until Queenie sees fit to tell us."
"She won't marry him, either. Isn't that sad?"
He leaned back away from her, his broad shoulders like a wall where he stood. "I don't much like you sneakin' around and spyin' on folks, li'l girl. I've a mind to turn you over my knee."
A small frisson moved over Gabby. Spankings hurt. Well…sometimes, they were fun, but she was pretty sure Ace hadn't meant that kind of spanking.
"I couldn't help it. I was coming back from seeing my mother and thought I'd try to find her a book or a magazine or something to read. Maybe a deck of cards so she could play solitaire. So I was heading toward the family room, and whammo! They yelled at each other and, then I think he spanked her. She was crying."
Ace gave her a tight smile. "You stay out of it, y'hear?"
She nodded, her mind already made up to do anything but stay out of it. "I won't tell anyone's secrets."
He tilted his head, skepticism evident in the lines around his mouth. "Don't press my patience on this. Don't you go playin' matchmaker, li'l girl. If they're meant to be together, they'll get that way." She shook her head and he went on. "How's your mother settlin' in?"
Gabby shrugged. Her mother had been ill for some time and was resistant to change. Moving, lock, stock and barrel, from New Jersey to live in a bungalow on Ace's ranch, made Anita more than a little irritable.
"She's okay, I guess. I need find a local doctor for her. Meeting one will help her feel better about being here."
Ace nodded. "That makes sense. Get the family doctor's number from Consuela. He's been seein' to us since I was a boy. He was a big inspiration to Deuce when my brother was lookin' into goin' to medical school."
"Okay."
They parted, Ace going after his keys and Gabby seeking out Consuela. But Gabby's mind didn't stray far from what she'd overheard between Will and Queenie. And, the fact was, she had nothing much better to do than play matchmaker. As she planned her own wedding, maybe another could be added on.
* * *
Will examined the tall pile of empty sacks again, cursing a blue streak. The bright, sunny afternoon suddenly became dark and stormy in Will's mind. That much chicken manure in the river was going to create havoc on the Journey's property. Like the oil, microorganisms would eat the contaminants in short order, probably before it left the Journey's End portion of the river, but that wouldn't stop it from fouling the water along the way. Will's father had taught him to be a responsible and ethical person, even when things weren't directly his fault. The empty sacks sat there on his easement, pointing a finger of guilt at him. He had to find the saboteur and stop the destruction!
He collected the sacks and stored the smelly containers in his jeep, then made his way back to his ranch house. After unloading, he went directly to Marco to start asking questions.
Will dropped the bags at Marco's feet. "Do you know where these came from?"
Marco eyed him carefully, squatting down to look over the evidence. "Probably from Anderson's Feed," he said, straightening. "They carry chicken manure for the organic farmers hereabouts."
"Is it expensive?"
Marco shook his head, as he adjusted the seat of his baseball cap. "Not particularly, but it ain't cheap neither."
"Could one of our hands afford to buy this much of it?"
Eyeing the forty-pound sacks as though counting them up, Marco responded with a nod. "Yep."
Frustration ate at Will's gut like an ulcer. "I need to find out who bought this load of shit and dumped it into the river. Whoever did it is probably the one who dumped the oil in there, too."
"Try Anderson's Feed. Jerry Anderson knows all the farmers around these parts. He'll know if someone unusual has come callin'."
It seemed like the only lead to follow, so Will got directions to Anderson's and set out toward Sonora.
Anderson's was a big operation, with a very large warehouse and a sprawling lot with tractors and other farm equipment. Inside the main building was a large selection of all kinds of implements and a covered outdoor area with a variety of fertilizers.
Will was fascinated with the various tools on display, and the smell of earthy things was somehow cool and refreshing after the h
ot trip in his jeep. He asked for Anderson at the main counter.
An older man approached from a room behind the counter. It was hard to tell his age because he was so weather-beaten. He had salt-and-pepper hair sticking out from under a John Deere cap, as though it hadn't seen a barber for some time. The curve of his cheeks turned up slightly as he approached Will. Not a smile, exactly, but not an unfriendly greeting either. Will had the impression that the man didn't smile easily.
"I'm Jerry Anderson," he drawled, his Texas accent thick.
Will offered his hand, and the rough calluses of Anderson's were like sandpaper. Will was reminded how much he was a city-dweller. It was something he'd like to remedy, and even as he had problems getting settled into the ranch, he had to keep his eye on that prize.
"Will Mazie, Mr. Anderson. Marco Arevalo said you were the man I need to talk to."
"Known Marco near his whole life. He's a good man. Works on the Caswell ranch."
"I own that property now, and Marco is my foreman."
"Heard that they sold. Retired to Arizona, if I recall rightly."
Will nodded. "I think so. Anyway, we're having some trouble at the ranch, and maybe you can help solve a mystery."
Anderson's gray eyes twinkled. "Love a good mystery, son. How can I help?"
Will explained the situation and Anderson nodded throughout, though he frowned slightly at the mention of his chicken manure. "We keep close track on the fertilizers since Oklahoma City," he told Will. "Even the organic ones."
"That's good. Can you remember a stranger coming in to buy a load of chicken manure over the last couple of days?"
"Nope. I don't do the sales much anymore."
Will's hope deflated, and he bit back a curse.
The man held up a rough hand. "But, we do keep a record, and we require ID for large purchases. I can check sales over the last couple'a days."
"That would be great!" He followed Anderson into the back office. "My suspicion is that it's a fellow called Reno Casteneda."
"Alright. I'll look for him first."
Will sat before Anderson's battered metal desk and watched him pull up some computer records. It was incongruous to see the grizzled old farmer touch-typing on a keyboard, but it made sense that they'd operate a business that size efficiently.
"Reno, you said?"
"Yeah. And it would be a big sale—several hundred pounds."
"Yeah. I think I got it." He pointed toward the screen, and Will slid forward on the metal chair to look. "480 pounds, two days ago."
"Bingo," Will whispered, as much to himself as to Anderson. "If you don't mind, I'll give the sheriff this information."
"Don't mind a'tall. You get that asshole. Ain't no one 'round here likes folks who vandalize property like that."
They shook hands and Will left.
On his way back to the ranch, he called Sheriff Brown and gave him the new information. Brown was more interested than he had been up to that point, and he promised to come meet with Will the next day.
* * *
Gabby wracked her brain through the rest of the day, but didn't come up with a workable plan until the next morning. Without mentioning her ulterior motive, she took her idea to Ace as they ate their breakfast. Dawn had broken an hour earlier, but the light was bright in the kitchen, shimmering off the brushed aluminum appliances and sparkling glass-fronted cabinets. She liked this quiet time with Ace, before his day's chores began.
"I've been thinking, honey," she began.
"You only call me honey if you want somethin', li'l girl," he pointed out with a smile.
"I know, but it just slips out."
"What is your desire, mademoiselle?" The toast in his hand bent as he sopped up wet eggs with it.
"We should have a barbeque." She watched his eyes move from the plate to her. "A summertime celebration."
He shook his head. She wondered if he'd figured out her plan to force Queenie and Will to spend time together, but he went along. "Just who were you plannin' on invitin'?"
Gabby waved a hand airily, then sipped from her coffee mug. "Oh, you know, all the local people. The parish priest, all the neighbors, people you know from Sonora. Whoever!"
He leaned back in his chair. "Whoever. Okay. It's a fine notion."
"So we can?"
"Sure."
She was going to have to work out how to get Queenie and Will to talk to each other, but there were ways. Maybe simply being thrust into the situation would help them find their way. "Great! Should I call a caterer… or…?"
He laughed. "Hell no. Consuela would have my ears for supper. You tell her what you have in mind and she'll make sure it works out. You might have to do some work on it, to be helpful."
"Okay. I'd like that anyway. I don't have much to do right now, except taking care of my mother."
"I thought you were working on trainin' Queenie's terriers?"
She rolled her eyes. "They are so spoiled. It's a huge challenge."
Ace's eyes twinkled. "You can do it."
She nodded. It was fun working with them, but they got tired after a few hours, so it didn't fill her days. Until she got her animal training business off the ground, she'd have some boring afternoons. "I'm determined."
"Good." He pushed back from the table and rose, tapping her nose affectionately as he did. "Gotta get to work. There's an issue with one of the tractors and it needs seein' to this mornin'."
"Okay." She stood and gave him a big hug and a smacking kiss, and he swatted her on the bottom as he moved away.
"You stay outta trouble now, y'hear?"
Giggling, she watched him saunter through the backdoor.
"Trouble," she whispered to herself. "No trouble at all."
* * *
Queenie brushed out her blonde hair in the mirror, then adjusted the belt at her waist. Her clothes would get too small. Her belly would swell up like a beach ball and she'd waddle around like a penguin.
It made her grin with happy anticipation. The more she thought about having a baby, the more excited it made her. She had to remind herself that it was a long way away. But every moment was something she intended to savor. The opportunity might never come again. She was 32 years old, after all. And unmarried. Well…lots of women had babies out-of-wedlock these days.
Her parish priest would have something to say about that idea. Will certainly had made his opinion known as well.
Taking a deep breath, and trying not to think about how and when she was going to tell her family, Queenie walked out of her bedroom and down to the backyard.
Frilly paper decorations were everywhere. If Queenie had expected classy understatement from her soon-to-be-sister-in-law, she'd have been surprised. But Gabby was out there, young and exuberant, and still attached to teenage frivolity. Queenie smiled at memories of when she was 20. She'd been a total hellion.
Ace was manning the barbeque at the moment, and the smell of brisket and ribs was wafting all over the yard. None of the guests had arrived. There was still half an hour until they were expected.
"Hey, brother."
"Hi, Q. You look like summer daisies."
She glanced down at her yellow sundress with its bright white belt and smiled. "Thanks, Ace."
Ace's eyes swayed away from her, and she looked over her shoulder. Will Mazie stood there surrounded by her family. Her next-oldest brother, Trey and his wife, Liv, were laughing at something. And her little sister Jackie and older brother Deuce had arrived as well, early to help with things, and they'd joined in the conversation, their smiles friendly and open.
"Shit," she whispered. She'd hoped to avoid Will in a sea of party guests. "He's a little early," she pointed out.
Ace shrugged. "Some mistake on his invitation. It doesn't much matter, does it?"
It sure did! But she didn't let on. "No. Course not."
"Looks like Consuela could use a hand, Q. That's a lot of paper napkins she's got flying in the breeze."
"Yeah. Holler if
you get too hot there in the smoke."
"Deuce will take over the cookin' soon. He's better at it."
Smiling, though she wanted to frown, Queenie made her way over to Consuela, who was struggling with a stack of napkins and a mountain of plastic cups . "Let me help."
Consuela eyed her. "I can manage, niña."
"The napkins are flyin' all over, Connie." She reached out for the stack, but Consuela twisted away. The pillar of cups tilted.
Two strong hands took the things away. "Let me help," Will said smoothly. "Where do you want these?"
Consuela pointed. "Queenie will show you."
"I will?"
The older woman's mouth thinned. "Yes."
They exchanged a gaze that had Queenie sighing with resignation. This was more of do the right thing undoubtedly.
"Right. Okay."
Once Will had put the items down, he turned to Queenie. She tried to give him a neutral look, but she knew she looked irritated instead. She didn't want to deal with him. She didn't want to have a pleasant conversation. He would demand answers to questions she didn't want to consider.
"You look lovely," he began.
"Thanks." He looked pretty damn good in his western dress shirt and black jeans, too. He had fancy, black leather suspenders with leather fasteners on as well. Will was a handsome man, but she wasn't going to tell him.
"I've been thinking about you over the last couple of days."
"Oh."
He sighed. "So, that's the way it's going to be, huh?"
"What do you mean?"
"One syllable comments. Surly looks. Are you going to start pelting me with food, too?"
The idea made her smile a little, but she quickly put her grin away. "Should I?"
"If it would make you marry me, go ahead."
"I don't want to talk about it."
He nodded toward her father and brothers. "Have you told them yet?"
"I told my father and Consuela." She watched him stand a little straighter.
"Good. What about everyone else?"
It was a question she'd been struggling with, but she didn't want to admit it. "The timing isn't right."
Spanking Her Highness Page 8
