He took a few hesitant bites of the food, then began to eat it with greater enthusiasm. Gabby couldn’t contain her laughter. “Now you know why we love the food at Christmas.”
He only nodded in agreement, as his mouth was full of food. As she glanced around the room for her family, she noticed all the young women who were eyeing Luke, and she felt a pain in her heart. It had officially started. Luke’s opportunity to find someone beautiful, sophisticated, and elegant to take to the gala had begun.
At first Luke didn’t want the evening to end. The singing and food and friendly people made him feel as if he was part of a special party, and he was actually welcome. But the beautiful night came crashing to a halt when Olivia tapped her glass and the room suddenly fell silent.
“My dear friends and family, we are honored to have you here with us tonight. As most of you are aware, we have an esteemed guest with us tonight. Doctor Luke Davenport is the new town doctor and we want to welcome him properly. He has been invited by the President to attend the annual Christmas Gala held at the Capital. He is looking for the right woman to take as his special guest. He wants one of you beautiful ladies to be his companion at the gala.”
Luke wished the floor would open up and swallow him whole. All eyes were suddenly on him, a position he didn’t want to be in. He raised the glass of cider he held and nodded to the crowd. “It is a pleasure to meet all of you,” he said, his voice carrying throughout the space. His comment earned him smiles and nods, and even winks from some of the eligible women. He wanted to go stand outside in the cold and not face a single one of them.
He looked down to tell Gabby exactly that, but she was no longer there. She had faded away and he couldn’t find her even though his eyes probed the room. Suddenly the room seemed to take a deep breath as everyone moved closer together and cleared the space in the main eating area where they usually served food.
Music filled the air as guitars were strummed and a group of men began singing. There were shouts of joy throughout the room, and man and woman paired up then jumped out on the newly created dance floor, their feet moving in rhythm to the beat.
Several people approached Luke at once, but one man and young lady managed to push forward in front of the others. A rather large, rotund man, he still held a plate of food he was eating. But with his other hand he pushed forward a young woman who smiled at him as if he were something to be eaten.
“Hola, I am Gustavo Garcia. This is my lovely daughter Desiree. It would be wonderful for the two of you to get to know each other through the first dance, don’t you agree?”
Luke carefully set his cider down and smiled at Desiree. “It would be my honor.”
The next several minutes he was assaulted by the mindless prattle of a young woman who had only known privilege her entire life and didn’t know a thing about what a doctor did. She asked a couple of questions, but usually had finished his sentence before even he could. The next three women were the same, if not worse. One of the women couldn’t stop giggling, and another one snorted through her nose when she laughed.
After having danced with four different women, Luke took a break away from them and went back for more cider, this time adding some special rum to the mix. He was going to need all the help he could get in order to make it through the night.
“Doctor Davenport, I’d like to introduce my niece...”
And so it continued, over and over until he had lost count of the number of women he had danced with. Several had been charming and sweet while others had self-righteous attitudes and a sense of entitlement. A flash of green twirling around the room caught his eye, but he couldn’t see who it was.
He strained to look at the woman in green, but every time he could get a good view of her, someone would dance into his line of sight. The woman dancing with him attempted to draw his eyes back to her by asking him a few questions. Even though he tried to accommodate her and answer every question the best he could, he could tell she was getting annoyed.
Finally, the woman in the green dress swept past him and his eyes landed on a petite frame. Her eyes were shining in delight, and she was smiling brightly at the young man who twirled her around. At one point Gabby even threw her head back and laughed at something the man she danced with had said.
Maybe she had found her soul mate. She certainly looked happy. And his heart sunk. He had been a fool. He had opened his heart to her, he had become vulnerable, and somehow, she had stolen his heart. The realization should have been more shocking than it was. But over the last few days he had felt it—he had felt love.
The song finished and the woman he was dancing with flounced away from him after snorting at him in irritation. He couldn’t blame her. He had been a terrible dance partner. But he knew what he had to do now. He only prayed he wasn’t too late.
Gabby was out of breath from dancing so much. She knew the evening was coming to a close soon, and she dreaded hearing from Luke about the woman he had chosen to take with him to the Christmas Gala.
She had watched him dancing with many different women, and had seen him smiling, laughing, and dancing close to some of the women he held in his arms. If only those women knew the true treasure that held them so gently, they would never let him stop dancing with them. They would never let go of him.
With a heavy heart she moved away from the dance floor and towards the refreshments. She drank heavily of the punch, wishing it would numb her even further but it didn’t happen. Suddenly she felt him. She knew he was with her just by the scent of the barbecue he had worked with, as well as the fresh, clean aroma a doctor must have.
“Gabby,” he said softly, and she turned around slowly, trying desperately to calm her heart. “You look amazing.”
Gabby looked down at the green cotton dress and almost laughed. It was far from the beautiful designs he would see on the women in Austin. “Thank you,” she said, nodding her head towards him.
“May I have this dance?”
She nearly chocked on the punch, and set the cup down quickly. “Yes, of course,” she said quickly. Was it too quick? And what possessed her to agree to a dance with him anyway?
Because your heart wants to.
She couldn’t help but smile at him, though, knowing that he would hold her in his arms. He took her hand and goose bumps prickled her skin as she followed him out onto the dance floor. He took her into his arms, and even though he was a good seven or eight inches taller than her, they seemed to fit together perfectly.
His hand settled on her waist and a slight shiver ran down her spine. Suddenly all she could think about was the intimate kiss they had shared together at the clinic. She wanted to lay her head on his chest and sway with him to the music for the rest of her life.
Good God, I’ve fallen in love with this man! How could I have let this happen? I knew I was tempting fire with kisses, but I never anticipated falling in love with him!
She tilted her head back and looked up at his strong jaw and mesmerizing eyes. How could you not fall in love with him? “Have you enjoyed the party?” she asked, attempting to start a conversation that would take her mind off of a forbidden love.
“It’s been amazing. I think the entire town is here.”
“Almost. I know it has been a lot to take in.” She smiled up at him, and he returned the smile.
“My favorite part up until now has been the food. But nothing could top dancing with you.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “I have to agree—this is by far my favorite part of the night.”
They twirled around the dance floor and she felt like she was floating. She knew that part of that was because Luke was lifting her on the spins, making them glide smoothly across the wooden floor. She couldn’t stop smiling the entire time they danced and never wanted the song to end.
A man suddenly entered her peripheral vision and she glanced to the side and saw a gentleman dressed in ranch attire looking directly at her. She had the vague inkling that she knew him somehow, but she
couldn’t remember how. But when he began to walk across the dance floor, weaving in and out of the dancers, her heart began to race.
He finally reached them and tapped Luke on the shoulder. “May I cut in?” he asked, his voice low and deep.
Luke looked at the other man who was only slightly shorter than him and shook his head. “If you don’t mind, sir, I’d like to complete this dance.”
Before Luke could twirl her away, the man spoke again. “Actually, sir, I do mind. I would greatly enjoy being able to dance with my fiancée.”
Chapter Fourteen
Luke didn’t cause a scene. He had stepped away from Gabby, though he still held her hand and looked her deep in the eyes. “Is this true?” he asked, his voice sounding odd.
Gabby felt tears building in her eyes. It was ruined. It was all ruined. The fantasy world she had been living in had come crashing down. “Luke, please let me explain...”
“Is it true?” he asked again, his voice slightly harsher.
Gabby couldn’t control the tear that rolled down her cheek. “Yes. But if you’ll only let me...”
Luke released her and turned to the rough-looking man who had come to claim Gabby. “Enjoy your dance. And enjoy your future wife.” Without any further words, he disappeared into the crowd of people and Gabby couldn’t see him anywhere. Finally, her eyes landed on the man who was ruining her life.
“Why are you here?” she demanded. “I barely even know you.”
“That’s the exact reason I’m here. I wanted to spend a little time getting to know my future wife before we are married in a month. Don’t you want to get to know me?”
“Married in a month? Why now? You’ve had years to come and get me, and you’ve waited until the very last month!”
“The agreement was made that you would marry me no later than the beginning of the year of your twentieth birthday. You turn twenty in only a few weeks. So we will be married in January.”
“You certainly seem to know a lot about our arrangement. Did you have a hand in crafting it?” Gabby lashed out, though she maintained a calm face and moved with him easily on the dance floor. He was quite good at dancing—she hated to admit.
“I was eighteen when this arrangement was crafted and I wanted nothing to do with it. But our parents made their arrangement, and here we are. I hadn’t expected such a cold reception, though.”
Gabby felt like crying again. “I don’t know anything about you, though if my parents wanted me to marry you, they must have seen something good in you.”
“Thank you, I think.”
“I know I’m handling this all wrong. A woman should be eager to get to know her fiancé and excited to become a part of his world. And I’m sorry I’m not either of those things.”
“Let’s move past the awkward greeting and just make things work from here.”
“That’s just it...” She looked him straight in the eyes. “I don’t want things to work from here.”
“You’re engaged? How can this be? Why didn’t you tell us?” Serena was spouting off questions so fast, she could barely catch her breath.
“All of you, this is Dominic Esparza, my future husband. Our parents arranged our marriage just prior to my father being killed in the Revolution.”
“How could you have kept this secret from us, Gabby? And you, Raphael!” Olivia demanded.
Raphael held his hands up. “It wasn’t my place to say anything. Gabby doesn’t need to be coddled. She’ll figure things out. Might have a bruise or two afterwards, but she’ll figure it out.” He then turned and extended a hand to Dominic. “Raphael Torres. I’m pleased to meet you. Been wondering how long it would take for you to come around.”
Dominic smiled, and Gabby hated him even more for being handsome. “I’m glad someone is happy to meet me.”
“Just give her time. She’ll come around.” Raphael chuckled, then quickly hushed at the look Gabby gave him.
Abuela and Abuelo were watching Dominic closely. Abuelo finally spoke. “Why would our own son not tell us of an arranged marriage for his only daughter? Why?”
Dominic made a helpless gesture. “I don’t know. I’ve known about it for a long time. But then again, so has Gabby.”
“I had no say in the matter. Our family had water that your cattle desperately needed. If it wasn’t for us, you wouldn’t even have a ranch today.”
“And the second half of that bargain was for you to marry me, so that you could partly lay claim to some land, such as if I die or something as permanent as that. Your brothers got the ranch you have now divided evenly. All you have is a lonely house you sit in all day long.”
“How dare you try—” Her slap was caught in mid-swing by Cade. “Calm it down, Gabby. It’s all going to turn out just fine,” he said soothingly.
“I’m a healer, you idiot,” she nearly spat at his feet. “I don’t just sit around darning socks and waiting for the boys to come in off the ranch. I feed them, I make sure their weapons are always clean, I take care of the animals, and then I spend the rest of my free time serving as a healer to the townsfolk.”
“A healer? Are you a damned witch?”
“Obviously these two know absolutely everything about each other,” Angie said under her breath, making Serena snicker and then two soft “Ow!” cries came from them when Abuelo knocked them both under the table.
“If you weren’t such an idiot, you would know I’m not a witch. A healer doesn’t use magic or potions. A healer uses the gifts of nature that God has given us to heal a person’s body, if possible. But if I could use magic—”
“If you insult me one more time, woman—”
“What? What more could you possibly do? You’re enslaving me to be your bride already as it is.”
“You aren’t the only one unhappy with this arrangement,” he said low and under his breath so that only Gabby could hear him. “But I’m not making a scene out of it in front of my entire family. We need to talk in private.”
Gabby felt the heat of a blush climbing up her face, and hated to admit that he was right. “Abuelo, Abuela, may I be excused? I want to freshen up and then continue my conversation with Dominic in private.”
Her grandparents nodded, and she quickly left the dining room, now devoid of all partygoers, and certainly devoid of any joy. Just as she turned down the hallway she saw the Christmas tree they had made for Luke and her heart ached painfully. She had to talk to him. She had to tell him that she wanted to be with him and no one else.
She stopped as soon as she stepped into his room, though, because he was placing his few belongings in a travel satchel. “You’re not leaving, are you?”
He froze and she saw his back tense. After a moment he continued packing. “I’ve overextended my stay here already,” he said, his tone indifferent.
“Don’t leave because of me! Olivia might need you!”
“She has you now. You made it very clear that you will handle the birthing.”
“Yes, but that was before I knew you, and before I knew your talents. I can see why she trusted your opinion.” Gabby was grasping for anything to make him stay. If he left because of her, it would be a huge disappointment to her entire family.
“You can stop now, Gabby,” he said firmly. He turned to face her and she nearly recoiled at the anger in his eyes. “Do you know what I hated the most about living on the streets? Do you? I always had to be on my guard. I always had to be aware that there could be someone who would do me harm. But now, I come to this family, to you, and I finally feel I have someone I can trust with everything.”
Gabby’s throat closed up with tears and she wanted to reach out to him, but the look on his face made it obvious he didn’t want to have anything to do with her. She was the same as one of his enemies on the street, now.
“I still felt that way when I came to Texas. I was very guarded when Cade offered for me to stay at this home. But I was welcomed with joy and warmth and was made to feel like a part of the family. A
nd I began to trust. And when this beautiful woman came into my life, kissing me so sweetly, I bared everything to her. Only to learn she has been betraying me all along.” He began to walk towards her slowly.
“Luke, please, I never meant to betray you. I made a terrible mistake I know, but...” Her words trailed off as he came to a stop so close to her she could feel his warm breath across her cheek.
“I just wonder...were your kisses real, Vixen? Were those at least genuine? Or were you lying with your sweet lips in more way than one?” His mouth was hovering just above hers—tempting her to the point of madness. And then he turned and walked back to the bed, leaving her longing and craving his touch and feel.
On the verge of tears, she hurried past the dining room where everyone still sat, speaking quietly, and ran out the back door to the shed. She had a horse saddled quickly and took off in the dark, urging the animal to race faster and faster and faster, letting her hair whip behind her and relishing the sharp sting of the cold air on her cheeks.
She rode until the town was far in the distance behind her, but she could still see the lights. And that was when the tears broke free as her heart fell to pieces. The injustice of all of it was unbelievable. Because Dominic’s parents had wanted to be certain he married and produced strong children to continue his legacy, she had been the sacrificial lamb. Her parents had wanted to see Gabby wed, as well, and had dreamed of what their children would look like. But more important to them was that she would have land she could divide off to her children one day, something that wouldn’t happen unless she was married to a man with land. Their parents would get everything they had put in their agreement, except the fact that Dominic and Gabby would probably resent each other for the rest of their lives.
Hot tears streamed down her cheeks, a sharp contrast to the cold air. She didn’t know what to do anymore. She wanted to talk to Luke. She wanted his help, his clear thinking. But he wanted nothing to do with her. She shook her head, wishing to clear it of all the wrong she had done to him. She had let him believe there was a potential future with her. She had withheld the crippling information about her arranged marriage.
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