A Lone Star Romance: Book 2 in The Only Love Series

by Violet Sparks

  Coughing interrupted Julie Tam's speech. Certain her mother was about to make a comment about finding a husband, her attitude switched from anger to concern.

  "Are you all right, Mother?"

  "Yes, I woke up with a scratchy throat and now this," she said between coughs.

  Chapter 10

  -An Unpleasant Encounter-

  After a trip to Urgent Care, Kiki had to delay her trip three days to nurse her mother back to health. Mrs. Tam ended up with bronchitis. By Thursday, she insisted on going home, and a doctor cleared her to fly, providing she took her antibiotics.

  "All I can say is, I'm glad you're back, Miss Tam," Nash greeted her at baggage claim, smiling from ear to ear.

  "Thank you, Nash. I'm glad to be here, too . . . I think."

  The ranch manager shook his head, still grinning.

  "The boss has been impossible all week. I'd duck and cover for a few days, if I were you," he advised, chuckling as he grabbed her luggage. "Let me take those garment bags from you, Miss," he added.

  She'd lugged two ball gowns on the plane, one, her liquid silver number, the other, a surprise for Peg. Kiki handed her prizes to him with a nod and a serious expression that attested to their value.

  "How was California?" he asked as they walked to a nearby pickup.

  "Okay. Smoggy. Hot."

  Nash opened the door for her, and she checked out the back seat of the truck. Everything looked spit and polish clean, worthy of her designer suitcases and garment bags holding valuable evening wear. She hopped in the front seat as he placed her bags to the rear. The ranch manager kept her occupied with stories of what she'd missed the last week—Peg and Billy's breakup, the weather, and the boss man's bad temper.

  "What went wrong between Peg and her beau?" she asked, worry in her voice.

  She hoped this wouldn't set Peg's progress towards confidence and femininity backwards.

  "Ah, I don't know. I guess that Bill might have gotten fresh with her, then called her uppity when she didn't respond as he'd have liked."

  "You've guessed all that?" she said, sending one eyebrow towards the roof of the truck.

  "Well, that was the scuttlebutt around the bunkhouse. Not that I believe gossip."

  "Course not, Nash," she said between giggles. "Does Peg seem all right about it?"

  "Fine. Lookin' at her, you can't tell that anything happened."

  I'll get to the bottom of it later.

  "Anything special going on this weekend?" she asked.

  "Just rushing around, getting the big house ready for the ball next week. Mrs. Harden is flying in tomorrow with her chef, I hear tell."

  It was late afternoon by the time they drove through the Bar H's gates and down to the courtyard. Kiki planned to get some work done on the collection tonight. Even though she put in extra hours before her trip, the days she'd spent caring for her mother meant she was now behind schedule. Nash carried her luggage into the bungalow and said he'd have some dinner sent over. She asked him to have it brought to the shed.

  "Don't burn the candle at both ends, now. We want you healthy," Nash said over his shoulder in his good-natured way, leaving her alone.

  She sure liked that cowboy, always cheerful and kind. Someone else on this ranch could learn a lesson from him. She glanced around the living room and walked to the large windows. She stared at the prairie stretching before her, drawing as much oxygen into her lungs as they could hold. Kiki released the air gradually, experiencing a peace of mind she hadn't known during her trip to Los Angeles. The range looked beautiful, the air crystal clear. Nash had mentioned a recent rain, and she noticed how fresh everything smelled outside before entering the house.

  "Glad you saw fit to come back."

  Kiki jumped at the words coming from behind. She spun and spotted Noble, stretched on the couch, arms behind his head, just like before when he'd surprised her. His steely tone and dark expression set her to worry.

  "Don't do that!" she said, trying to control the tremble in her voice. He'd really scared her.

  "It's good to know you're not a woman of her word," he snarled.

  Kiki pursed her lips, grinding her molars as she did. Without knowing, she placed her hands, balled into fists, on her hips.

  "Now see here. My mother became ill, as you are well aware. I wasn't about to fly off and leave her in that condition."

  An icy silence fell between them. He glared at her with contempt, and she gave as good as she got, willing herself to hold his gaze while fighting the urge to avert her eyes from his hard stare.

  "Did the brother make an appearance?" he demanded, laser beam eyes still targeted at her.

  "Ugh, you've got to be kidding me! What business is it of yours?" she spat, taking the opportunity to roll her eyes towards the ceiling and halt the staring contest.

  "Obviously, none."

  His words cut through her anger, and she felt like she'd been sucker punched. Harden rose from the sofa and stomped out of the house, never looking back. She felt like something between them broke in that moment. Her lower lip began to tremble. Were those tears welling in her eyes? No, it couldn't be.

  Kiki busied herself unpacking. She'd brought back sensible clothing, fit for life on a ranch. She carefully removed the ball gowns from their garment bags and hung them in the closet, placing their respective footwear beneath. When she went to Ivan's to pick up shoes for Peg, he'd shown her the pair he designed to go with her own dress. She couldn't resist the sparkly, high-heeled, strappy creations. Thin strands of rhinestones, sewn onto slivers of soft silver leather crisscrossed her feet, meeting a wide platinum cuff at the ankle. The slit in her dress would show these off to their best advantage and draw the eye down the length of her leg, making her appear taller.

  She swapped her designer blouse for a red turtleneck, tucked the sweater into her jeans, and headed for the shed. The objects d'art would provide a welcome distraction from the depressing thoughts spinning around her head.

  She'd just spread several hair combs on the table in front of her when she heard the door open. She checked her watch and assumed dinner had arrived, it being six o'clock.

  "Just leave it on the end of the table, where I've cleared a space. Thanks," she said without looking up.

  She picked up a comb carved from jade. Several figures appeared across the top, and she recognized characters from Chinese mythology. She wondered who wore this in their hair, what their life must have been like. Probably from the 1920s, the piece seemed mundane compared to other items in the collection.

  She felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped, jerking her head around to see who had sneaked up on her. Kiki's mouth gaped open.

  "Sorry. I brought a peace offering," Noble said, chagrin all over his face.

  "Must you keep startling me?" she demanded, raising both eyebrows.

  "I'll try to do better. Hungry?" A hard to resist, sheepish grin spread across his face. He did look repentant.

  "Starving. What did you bring?"

  "Steak sandwiches, French fries, and colas."

  He scooted a tray closer to Kiki as she lifted the combs and placed them further down the table. He pulled a chair next to her and sat down. She caught a whiff of fried potatoes and barbequed beef, sending her stomach into a rumble. Noble placed a red checkered napkin across her lap.

  "Dig in, Little Lady."

  She didn't have to be told twice. Tender beef slices from the sandwich melted on her tongue as she chewed on the fresh baked hoagie roll, then popped a fry in her mouth.

  "Mrs. Briggs knows her way around a kitchen, that's for sure," she said between bites.

  She noticed he hadn't touched his meal. Instead, he scrutinized her features, as if checking to see if everything were in the same place as before her trip. She lifted an eyebrow at him as if to say, Can I help you?

  "Look, Beatrice. Let's be friends, all right? I'm sorry. I know I came off as harsh earlier. My mother arrives tomorrow, and I'm sure I'll be kept busy with prepara
tions for the dance once she gets here. Can we bury the hatchet?"

  She swallowed the large fry she'd just crammed in her mouth. She'd felt so terrible when he walked out on her that she wanted to handle this just right.

  "If you'll stop startling—"

  "Good grief, Woman! You're as independent as a hog on ice. I've come to make peace, and you're busy placing demands—"

  Kiki placed a small finger to his lips, interrupting his rant at once.

  "Friends sounds good," she said.

  Did it, really?

  "Well, all right then," he said before gobbling down his sandwich.

  She pilfered some of his fries while he drank a cola. Returning to Texas renewed her appetite. After dinner, he stacked their plates on the tray and left, warning her not to work too late.

  She saw little of him the rest of the weekend. The trip to Booker for church was cancelled due to his mother requiring a visit to Amarillo—something to do with the private jet she'd flown in on and her chef. Many of the cowboys went on to the worship service, but when asked, Kiki opted to make up for lost time with the collection.

  That night, Peg dropped in on her at the house. When questioned, the girl admitted that Billy had tried to French kiss her. She didn't take kindly to his advances, being it was their first official date and all.

  "I guess it's just as well I found out about him early on," she said almost to herself.

  "How did he take your rebuff?"

  "I pushed him away and told him I didn't kiss on the first date, let alone swap spittle!"

  "You didn’t!"

  "I did!"

  "Good for you, Peg. I'm glad you stuck to your guns."

  "Well, he ain't too happy, I can tell you that much. Said I was stuck up and trying to copy your city ways."

  The tone of sadness in the girl's voice upset Kiki.

  "Look, he was hurt because you rejected him, so he said something mean. If that was the best he could come up with, you've nothing to worry about."

  The housekeeper's face relaxed into a smile.

  "I went to see my father today," Peg admitted, trying to sound casual.

  "Oh? How was he?"

  "Drunk."

  "I'm sorry, Peg."

  "Me too. I keep asking him to come to church. Guess he ain't hit rock bottom yet."

  "You keep inviting him. I'm sure one day he'll agree to go."

  Peg left happy. Kiki didn't show her the dress she'd bought for her to wear to the dance. She wanted to surprise her, maybe even on the day of the event. That way, the girl wouldn't have time to get nervous or refuse to wear the garment.

  First thing Thursday, the day before the ball, the ranch came alive with activity. Trucks, all the way from Amarillo, delivered tables, chairs, and linens, while temporary staff arrived to receive directions for the following evening. True to his word, Noble had remained busy and out of her way all week.

  By mid-morning, she needed a pick-me-up and decided to head to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. She stood, picked a piece of white lint off her black pencil skirt, and arranged her white Oxford, smoothing down a wrinkle on its pocket. Her kitten heel pumps navigated the courtyard's rocky surface better than her four-inch platforms ever did.

  A half-filled coffee pot waited on the counter. She found a mug and added cream from the refrigerator, then poured in the hot, black liquid. Just as she took her first sip, Harden marched into the kitchen, a goofy grin appearing on his face when he spotted her.

  "Hey there, Little Lady. You been holed up in the shed all week?"

  He sauntered to her side and prepared his own cup of joe, gently jabbing her upper arm with his elbow.

  "That's just about it, except you make it sound like I'm an outlaw in hiding."

  They shared a laugh. It felt good to be here with him in the kitchen doing something as mundane as drinking coffee.

  "Everything ready for the party tomorrow?" she asked.

  "Almost. Mom's got—"

  "Well, you didn't tell me you'd hired a new girl," a voice interrupted from behind.

  Noble and Kiki turned at the same time. Kiki recognized his mother from the photos in the leopard print powder room. She'd changed. Skin pulled taught over her features, swollen lips, and eyebrows with a high, exaggerated arch, all screamed of plastic surgery. Perfectly coiffed, with blonde Texas-style big hair, the woman wore a zebra print wrap knit dress and tons of gold jewelry. She entered the kitchen as if she expected them to bow.

  "Javier can put her to work prepping. He'll be here in a few minutes," she added.

  "No, Mom, she's not staff. This is Beatrice Tam. She's here to evaluate the art I inherited from Uncle Henry. Beatrice, this is my mother."

  Mrs. Harden gave the girl a quick, dismissive up and down, along with a faint smile, ignoring Kiki's outstretched hand.

  "Imagine that," the older woman drawled.

  She shot her son a look that carried a load of insults towards Kiki. A glance that implied he was really slumming this time.

  "She's a regular little China doll, isn't she?"

  Kiki set her mug down on the counter, ignoring Mrs. Harden, then slowly turned towards Noble.

  "Excuse me," she said in a monotone and left the kitchen.

  The courtyard seemed to stretch for miles. Flashes of memories involving the word Haole roared through her mind. She hadn't felt this particular brand of cruelty since childhood. One moment, she enjoyed his company, comfortable and laughing in the kitchen, and the next, everything changed. After what seemed like an eternity, she reached the bungalow, water welling in her eyes. She made it half way through the hall, where she stopped and sank back against the wall, allowing tears to spill freely down her face. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine being with her father, safe at home in Hawaii, as far away from this place as possible.

  She heard the door open and the loud bang of it smashing against plaster before she could even glance up. As he strode towards her, filling the hall with his frame, the door bounced shut, slamming. He reached her in two long steps, lifting her chin and holding her face in his hands.

  "I'm sorry, Sweetheart. I'm so sorry."

  She stared ahead with a blank expression, the hurt crowding out anything she might feel for him. Why had he introduced her as Beatrice? Was he ashamed of her island name? He wiped each drop from her cheeks with his thumbs, but the tears continued to stream.

  "Please, don't cry, Darling," he whispered, pulling her into his arms.

  "Shh, shh now," he said, stroking her hair.

  He held her for several minutes, small sobs wracking her body.

  "I'm sorry, please don't cry. I apologize for my mother's atrocious behavior. I told her she was never to speak like that again. She'll apologize to you herself, if you'd like."

  She shook her head. She never wanted to see that woman again.

  "Can I fix you a cup of tea? Come, sit on the sofa and let me get you some tea," he coaxed, leading her to the great room.

  He handed her a box of tissues, then put the kettle on the stove, rummaging through cabinets, looking for the box of tea bags he knew he'd left there . . . somewhere. When he appeared before her moments later, cup and saucer in hand, she could see deep furrows across his forehead and frown lines etched from the corners of his mouth to his jaw.

  She took the tea from him but said nothing. At least she no longer cried. Instead, she wondered how to extract herself from the ranch.

  "Say something," he commanded.

  It annoyed her to have him making demands upon her after what just happened. She felt anger, confusion, frustration, and pain, all jumbled in the pit of her stomach.

  "There's nothing to say," she finally remarked.

  "Please don't shut me out."

  "I think I'd like to be alone for a while, Noble. Just go," she said.

  He huffed and puffed, stomping around the great room, circling her, then moving on to the kitchen. He returned and circled the sofa several times. At last, he complied.
/>   "I'll be back to check on you later," he threatened. At least, it sounded like a threat with his low growl.

  Kiki looked down at her outfit. She was dressed like a maid. If she'd worn a designer suit instead of trying to fit in with sensible clothing, his mother never would have treated her like that. She curled up in a ball on the sofa and pulled the throw up to her chin, crying again.

  Don't fool yourself.

  She guessed it wouldn’t have mattered what she wore, where that woman was concerned.

  * * * * *

  Noble slammed the heavy wooden door of the big house with such a fury that walls shook.

  "Mother!" he yelled, bellowing like a bull moose.

  Nash came jogging down the hall.

  "What's wrong?" he asked.

  "My mother, that's what. Where is she?"

  "Haven't seen her, Boss." The ranch manager turned tail and hot footed it back to Noble's study, where he'd been reviewing some paperwork.

  Harden marched to the kitchen, cursing loud enough that staff and cowboys cleared out before he arrived. Finding the room empty, he continued on. Before long, everyone had fled the house except for Nash and his mother. He finally found her upstairs, in what had been his parents' master bedroom, sitting in front of the mirror, primping.

  "You're going to apologize to Kiki."

  "Who?"

  Bunny Harden tried to look innocent, then incensed at her son's behavior.

  "You know exactly who, Mother. If you don't, you and your entourage can leave right now. I'll be happy to explain to everyone why the party's been cancelled."

  "I don't know what I can—"

  "Mother!" he yelled, eyes bulging, nostrils flaring.

  Bunny cringed, sinking back into her chair. His rage frightened even her.

  "All right. At dinner, I'll—"

  "Right now, Mother. And you'd better make it good. No phony baloney. Let's go."

  He grabbed his mother by the elbow, lifting her from her seat, and hurried her from the room and down the stairs. He kept his grip on her all the way across the courtyard, passing her luxury rental car, only releasing her at Kiki's door. He stood behind her, blocking any escape she might attempt, and reaching around her, knocked. He had to repeat his pounding several times, and at least five minutes went by before the door squeaked open just a sliver. Noble pushed it until a large enough gap existed to see her. All of her.