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

by Violet Sparks

  "Sorry to disturb you, Kiki. When I told my mother she was going to have to leave today and that I was cancelling the ball, she insisted I bring her here."

  Kiki's jaw dropped, but she promptly snapped her mouth shut. The older woman's face flamed a deep shade of pink. She saw his mother twist her torso and guessed he'd given her a jab in the rib.

  "I deeply regret making you uncomfortable, Kiki. I wasn't myself earlier, and I ask that you accept my apology and try to forgive my behavior."

  She glanced over her shoulder at her son and received another jab.

  "My son speaks very highly of you, and I'd like to make amends, if you'd let me," she hastened.

  "That won't be necessary, Mrs. Harden. Thank you for stopping by," Kiki said, then shut the door.

  She'd just slumped against the wall when, almost immediately, she heard a loud pounding. This was too good to miss. She yanked the door open, expecting to find mother and son staring at her. Mother had made her escape, leaving Son on the stoop.

  He pushed his way inside, pulling her into an embrace as soon as he entered.

  "Better?" he asked, running his fingers through her hair.

  She pulled back and gave him a long look.

  "Better. Thank you, Noble."

  "Can I stay?'

  "If you promise to behave."

  The left corner of his mouth quivered as he tried to keep a grin off his lips.

  "What if I promise to try to behave?"

  He headed into the great room as if she'd agreed. Kiki followed, taking a seat next to him, where he patted a cushion. He draped his long arm over her shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze, pulling her into his side.

  "She won't pull a stunt like that again," he said in a low tone, rubbing her arm. "Now, what can I do to make it up to you?"

  The girl took a deep breath and held the oxygen in her lungs several seconds before exhaling. All the while, she tried to think of what to say.

  "Can I leave the ranch for a few days?" she asked tentatively.

  "Why?"

  "Because I don't fit in here, and I don't want to make any more trouble with your family."

  "That's ridiculous, Beatrice. Anyone with a name like yours belongs on a ranch. It's not like you to turn tail and run. You're too much of a firecracker. Why did you let her get to you so?"

  "Clearly, you've never been discriminated against, or whispered about, or called a Haole!" she spat.

  "A whatee?"

  His comment broke the tension, and they both laughed.

  "On the islands, it's a big insult. Beginning in grade school, people called me Haole due to my mixed race. Every time I advanced to a new school, it started all over again. It didn't help that my ancestors were some of the original missionaries to Hawaii."

  "But, you're obviously not—" He fumbled for the right words, not wanting to offend or hurt her further.

  "Not white? Maybe to you Texans I look Asian, but on Oahu or the Big Island, I can pass for a newcomer, and I had to fight it out with bullies at every school I attended."

  He looked incredulous.

  "You, Little One, fighting it out? How?"

  "Well, I tried to avoid it, of course. But you can't avoid bullies forever. In elementary, I eventually called him Moke, then gave him some moke. The same in junior high, except then boys and girls tormented me. By high school, the girls became the problem."

  "I’m afraid to ask, but what's a Moke?"

  "Oh," she giggled. "Moke can mean any number of things. Usually it's a big, tough islander, not too bright, but it's also the raw meat you put on a black eye. Don't ever call anyone that in Hawaii. If you do, you might need some moke. It's fightin' words, as you'd say in Texas."

  "Wow, I never saw you for a brawler, Beatrice."

  "Me either. My dad taught me some moves, and I did what I had to. I guess your mother's reaction to me made me realize people will never see me as just a person, not a race."

  "You can't judge everyone by my mother. Has anyone else on the ranch treated you poorly?" he asked, his voice tight with anger.

  She thought for a moment. Everyone had been kind and accepting of her.

  "You mean, aside from the ride from the airport you treated me to?" She didn't wait for an answer but continued, "Well, when I first arrived, I did feel a bit like a unicorn, with all the hands coming by the shed to see if I needed help, staring because they'd never seen an Asian before."

  "Uh, if you look in the mirror, Kiki, I think you'll realize that had nothing to do with your race," he rumbled softly into her ear. "Besides, they've seen plenty of Asian men," he added.

  She doubted that. Pulling back, she caught the gleam in his eye. Kiki gave his chest a playful slap, then leaned back into the cowboy. She could feel the muscles in his chest go rock hard as he wrapped his arms around her. He tucked his chin over her head, and she drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter 11

  -The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You-

  The next day, she decided to tackle the four bowls Mr. Jen had identified as made from rhinoceros horn. They'd spoken on the phone while she was in Los Angeles, and he'd confirmed the value of the pieces—over a million dollars. He wanted her to take detailed photos of each vessel and document everything she could about them. Then, they were to be packed away until transport could be arranged to a secure location. Until that time, only Mr. Harden could be informed of their worth. She'd meant to tell him earlier but hadn't had the chance. Rhino horn, now contraband, proved very rare and highly desirable to collectors.

  Peg brought her breakfast that morning, and Kiki revealed the dress from Irina's.

  "What do you think, Peggy?"

  The housekeeper remained speechless. It took some prodding, but ultimately she pulled her jaw off the floor.

  "I've never seen anything so beautiful. I can't afford a dress like this."

  "It's my gift to you, Peggy, for being my friend and helping me transition to life on the ranch. I never would have made it this long without you. Now come by about an hour before the party starts, and we'll make you up, okay?"

  After the young girl floated back to the big house, Kiki headed for the warehouse. She unpacked the rhino bowls and began taking pictures with her cell phone, transferring them in batches to her laptop, typing every detail into a computer file.

  The process took longer than expected. Several hours had passed when the sound of the metal door slamming against the wall signaled that Noble had arrived, and he wasn't happy.

  "Kiki!" he roared.

  "I'm right here, no need to shout," she said, turning to see what caused the hubbub.

  What now?

  His face scowled, dark, angry, even frightening. She hadn't seen him quite like this before.

  "You'll want to come outside. You've got a visitor," he said, before turning on his heel and jerking the door closed.

  All she could think of was Mr. Jen. He must have flown in on the spur of the moment to have a look at the rhinoceros carvings, or asked someone else at Tsang to do so. For the life of her, she couldn't imagine why that would upset Noble. But she did wish she'd already told him about the treasure on his hands.

  She pushed the door open and for a moment, the sun blinded her eyes. She held her hand above her brow, making out Noble's outline and a slightly smaller man standing beside him. It wasn't Jen. She took a few steps forward, squinting.

  Then it hit her. She felt something go tight in the pit of her stomach, then a moment of dizziness. She stopped moving and held still, hoping it would pass. She kept squinting, buying time.

  When the earth settled, she said, calmly, "What are you doing here?"

  "I was driving across the country and thought I'd stop by and see you."

  He moved forward and pulled her into an embrace, placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

  He released her and she gulped for air, realizing she'd forgotten to breathe once she made out James standing in the courtyard. She tried to control the panic rising in her chest, knowing th
is looked as if she'd been lying to Noble about her former boyfriend.

  "How . . . how did you find me?"

  She glanced at the ranch owner. He stood still as a statue, arms crossed over his chest, hat pulled low on his forehead, glaring at her from behind Jim. Beyond the cowboy, a red sports car, suitcase sticking out from behind the front seats, sat parked in front of the old log home.

  "Babe, I've just been released from Naval Intelligence. Finding a Hawaiian in the Panhandle of Texas wasn't a problem. Can we go somewhere to talk?"

  "N—"

  "Certainly," Harden interrupted her reply, then stuck his thumb and forefinger between his teeth, producing a loud, shrill whistle, drowning out any argument she might produce.

  A cowhand came running from the porch of the big house into the courtyard. She stared in the direction he came from, wondering how many others watched the scenario play out. The bright sun made it impossible to see who stood in the shadows of the veranda.

  How embarrassing!

  "Cody, take Mr. Crimshaw's things down to the bunkhouse. He'll be staying a few days."

  "Yes, Sir. Building four? We're all full in—"

  "Building three, Cody," he said with no emotion as the ranch hand trotted to the automobile and retrieved Jim's bag.

  "Jim, why don't you go on over to my place?" She pointed towards the modern bungalow, thinking fast. "I need to speak with my client, but I'll be along in a minute."

  James shrugged and walked to the house. She watched, waiting for him to enter and close the door.

  "I swear I had no idea he was even in the country! I don't know what he's doing here!" she said, panic rising in her voice.

  Stay calm, Girl.

  "Well, that's exactly what we're going to find out, Kiki," he said, ice in his voice.

  He turned to go, but she grabbed his elbow.

  "Wait!" she gasped in a stage whisper. "Noble, he's the brother of my best friend. Don't do anything to hurt him. What was all that about the bunkhouse?" she said, her voice betraying the feeling of impending doom which crept through her.

  She watched as his lips pressed into a thin line and a pulse throbbed at the corner of his jaw. His eyebrows migrated close together, almost meeting above the bridge of his nose, turning his face into a fierce grimace.

  He leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Well, he sure ain't stayin' in my bed, Sugar."

  He tipped his hat and marched across the yard, leaving her standing alone, dumbfounded, in the hot sunshine. She could feel eyes boring holes into her from the porch and the windows of the big house. Her thoughts became a jumble. She couldn't bear it if Noble thought her a liar, or worse, that she was carrying on with Jim. Why did he show up here, now? Did the boss actually say he'd be staying a few days? What was going on?

  She stomped towards the house, ready to get some answers.

  "I gather you're not happy to see me, Kiki."

  "No, not really. What were you thinking, showing up at my place of business, unannounced?"

  He shrugged and flashed her The Grin. Her friend, Katrina, had first coined the phrase, referring to an old beau's tantalizing smile. Kiki adopted it to describe James's expression. At least, that's what she called it when she'd been enamored with him. Now, it just aggravated her.

  "I decided to see the country on my way to Katrina's wedding. When I got out of the service, I flew to New York, bought my car, and drove here. We've got some unfinished business between us."

  Her blood began to boil.

  "First off, as far as I can tell, there's nothing unfinished between us. Second, don't call me Babe in front of a client. It's unprofessional."

  His smile disappeared as his face turned to stone.

  "I'm beginning to wonder if you've been behaving like a professional," he said, his tone like steel.

  "How dare you come here and insult me! Get out!" she yelled.

  He folded his arms over his chest but didn't move.

  "I'm not going anywhere until this is settled. Your cowboy already invited me to stay through the weekend, and I hear there's a big shindig tonight that I don't want to miss."

  "What?"

  "Yeah, that's right, Kiki. You're stuck with me for the next few days." He added in a softer tone, "Why don't we make the most of it, huh? Come on, sit down and talk to me. We don't want things to be awkward at the wedding, do we?"

  He'd gone for the jugular, and she knew it. She wouldn't ruin Katrina's big day with petty squabbling.

  Time to act like an adult.

  "Fine, Jim. But don't think I don't recognize that you're trying to manipulate me by bringing up Kate. She'd be none too happy if she knew how you popped in on me."

  "How was the shower, anyway?" he asked, all innocence, changing the subject.

  She decided to give in and make peace. Talk of the bridal shower shifted to conversation about their break-up. He told his side of things and she gave hers. Now that he was out of the military, he wanted to know what kept them from a fresh start. Kiki couldn't give an answer.

  "Are you going to hold a grudge because I felt I had a duty to do?"

  He explained as much as he could about the friend whose fate had been unknown after meeting with a local warlord in Afghanistan. She'd heard as much from his sister.

  "I don't feel it's a grudge, Jim. I only know my feelings have changed."

  "Give me these few days to see if I can change them back again. If not, we'll part friends and it won't affect Kate's wedding."

  Blackmail.

  Still, it was the quickest way to get rid of him and ensure all went well at the nuptials.

  "I can do that," she agreed.

  He attempted a kiss, but a knock at the door interrupted his efforts.

  "Come in," Kiki yelled, hastily.

  "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Peg asked.

  "No. If you'll point Jim towards the bunkhouses, he can get settled before the dance."

  He complied, flashing The Grin at both girls.

  "Who is that?" Peg asked after showing James the way to his lodgings.

  "An old flame come to cause trouble."

  "He sure has a way about him, Miss Kiki. That smile set the hairs on my neck hackling and I got all tingly down in my toes."

  "That's your God given security system going off, Peg. It's screaming, Be careful!"

  "Really, Miss Kiki? I never knew I had one of them."

  "We all do. Problem is, most people ignore it for so long, eventually they don't even notice when a blaring siren goes off. Now, let's get you ready for tonight."

  Peggy's pale pink dress had a deep V neckline and a wide waist inset, decorated with crisscrossed dainty, matching ribbons. Fortunately, the gown was self-lined, because its gossamer fabric hid nothing. Around the neckline, armholes, and hem, tiny flowers cut from the garment's textile formed daisy chains. Leather kitten heels, dyed the same shade as the frock, along with the housekeeper's gamine hair cut, added to her ballerina appearance. Costume, vintage jewelry, borrowed from Kate while Kiki visited LA, completed the ensemble. Lipstick, eyeliner, shadow and blush gave the housekeeper a sophisticated, polished look. The girl gasped when, in front of a mirror, she placed the French paste necklace around her neck.

  "There, now sit tight while I get ready, then we'll walk over together," Kiki ordered.

  She speedily piled her hair on top of her head, holding it in place with a few hidden bobby pins and a rhinestone comb supplied by Katrina. She closed the clasp of the gown's collar and put on the French paste drop earrings, circa 1920, on loan from her friend. Then she fastened Ivan's dainty heels on her feet and took a quick glance in the mirror. Recognizing she needed more drama in the eye area, Kiki smudged black pencil around her lids and applied mascara. Then she added some shadow, along with a pale pink swipe of lipstick for her mouth.

  "Ready?" she asked Peg.

  The girl nodded and they headed out the door. Outside, she scanned the courtyard. Valet parking attendants moved cars from the imme
diate area, hiding them beyond view. The house seemed a hubbub of activity, and as guests arrived, lights flickered and music wafted in the air. She glanced towards the shed.

  "Oh, no!," she exclaimed aloud.

  "What it is, Miss Kiki?"

  "I didn't put everything away earlier. I've got to run over and take care of it. Mind going on without me?"

  Peg shook her head and walked towards the main house as Kiki scurried across the courtyard towards the warehouse. She didn't feel comfortable leaving the rhinoceros horn bowls out with so many people milling about. If James hadn't shown up when he did, this wouldn't have happened. She prayed that no one had touched the treasures.

  She pushed the door open and flipped on the lights. Thankfully, all four vessels sat right where she'd left them. She quickly packed each away in their respective straw-filled crates and returned them to shelf space in the middle of the building. No one would stumble upon them there. She scooped up the last box from the table, preparing to carry it down one of the aisles, when she heard someone enter the shed.

  "I thought I'd find you in here," a familiar voice said.

  She turned to see a man. For a second, she thought it was Noble, but his coloring was all wrong. It dawned on her that this must be his older brother.

  "Pardon me?" she said, clutching the crate in her arms.

  "You've caused quite the sensation around here," he said, closing the distance between them. "I just thought I'd come by and see what all the fuss was about."

  She didn't like the oily tone of his voice, his words, or the wicked gleam in his eyes. Before she knew it, her back came into contact with one of the metal shelving units. He crowded close, but she held the crate between them. She felt like bolting, but worried she might drop the treasure she carried. The tuxedo-clad man placed his hand above her on a shelf, bracing himself while he leaned nearer. She readied herself to stomp on his foot, then apply her knee to his groin.