She stared at Kirsten. “Did he cheat on me? Or did you?”
It was a standoff two years in the making. No matter what the answer turned out to be, Lucy lost someone she cared about, someone she loved.
Jeff remained silent during the long, dreadful seconds that elapsed. Time settled into slow motion...
At last, Kirsten’s face crumpled. Her eyes flashed with a combination of guilt and anger. “If you’d had more faith in him, nothing I did would have mattered.”
Lucy gasped, struck by the truth in the accusation. But her own behavior wasn’t on trial at the moment. Shock paralyzed her, despite the part of her that must have accepted the truth somewhere deep down inside. “So it’s true?” Lucy spared one glance at Jeff, but he was stone-faced.
Kirsten shrugged. “It’s true. Your precious Jeff is innocent.”
Lucy trembled. Knowing was one thing. Hearing it bluntly stated out loud was painful...and baffling. “Why, Kirsten? I have to know why?”
Kirsten was almost defiant now. “I was jealous. Ever since we were kids, things seemed so easy for you. When we came back from college and you hooked up with Jeff at the party, I was furious. I’d had my eye on him for a long time.”
Lucy shook her head in disbelief. “You were so popular, Kirsten. I don’t even know what you mean.”
Kirsten shrugged. “I hoarded my resentment. Everything came to a head the night of your rehearsal dinner. I saw my chance and I took it. I kissed Jeff. Because I knew you were right outside the door. He had nothing to do with it.”
“Oh, Kirsten. You were my best friend.”
The other woman shook her head. “But not anymore.” Quietly, Kirsten closed the door.
Twenty
Jeff took Lucy’s arm and steered her back toward the car. “Give her time,” he said. “The two of you may get beyond this.”
Lucy stared at him. “How can you be so calm?”
He caressed her cheek, his eyes filled with warmth. “I have you back in my life again, Lucy. Nothing can hurt me now.”
“Take me home with you, Jeff. Please.”
They made the trip in silence. Her thoughts were in shambles. How had she been so wrong about so many things?
In Jeff’s living room, she prowled. He leaned a shoulder against the doorframe, his gaze following her around the room. At last, he sighed. “Sometimes we have to put the past behind us, sweetheart. We have to choose to be happy and move on.”
At last, Lucy stood in front of him, hands on her hips. “I love you, too, Jeff. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you...that I didn’t trust us. Kirsten had been my friend since we were nine years old. When I saw her in your arms, it didn’t make sense. So my default was to doubt you. And maybe to doubt myself, too, because I fell in love with you so quickly.” She took a deep breath. “I adore you. I suppose I’ll have to spend the rest of my life making this up to you.”
He pulled her close and kissed her hard, making her heart skip several beats. “Nonsense. We’re not going to talk about it again. Today is our new beginning.”
Even in the midst of an almost miraculous second chance, Lucy fretted. “There’s one more thing.”
He scooped her into his arms and carried her to the sofa, sprawling with her in his arms. “Go ahead,” he said, his tone resigned.
“I don’t want people to gossip about us. Can we please keep this quiet? At least until after Christmas? That will give me time to go back to Austin and turn in my notice. I’ll have to sell my condo if I’m coming back to run the farm. I’ll convince Kenny to turn down the Samson Oil offer and stick around until the new year.”
Jeff’s eyes narrowed...giving him the look of a really pissed off cowboy. “No way,” he said, his jaw thrust out. “We’re getting married this week. I’m not stupid.”
She petted his shirtfront. “Then go with me to Austin,” she said urgently. “We’ll have a quiet wedding at the courthouse. Just you and me. But nobody has to know. I want time for us to be us.” She kissed his chin. “You understand, don’t you?”
He moved her beneath him on the sofa, unzipping her black pants and toying with the lacy edge of her undies. “As long as you’re in my bed every night, I’ll do whatever you want, Lucy. But I won’t wait to put my ring on your finger.”
She linked her arms around his neck, drawing his head down so she could kiss him. “Whatever you say, cowboy. I’m all yours.”
* * * * *
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ISBN-13: 9781460386842
A Christmas Baby Surprise
Copyright © 2015 by Catherine Mann
Reclaimed by the Rancher
Copyright © 2015 by Harlequin Books S.A.
The publisher acknowledges Janice Maynard for her contribution to Reclaimed by the Rancher.
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A Christmas Baby Surprise: Reclaimed by the Rancher Page 19
