“That’s the one,” he said, tipping his beer bottle at me. His tone sounded as though he couldn’t care less that the woman was an Oscar winner, fashion icon, and America’s sweetheart.
“I’d guess you’re the only man who wouldn’t want her, so either you’re in a relationship or maybe women don’t interest you,” I suggested.
“There’s one woman who definitely has my attention.” His brown eyes zeroed in on me, and I felt more than heard his words. “Except I think she’s already taken.”
“You’re speaking in riddles.”
“Then I’ll make myself clear.” Stone drained the remainder of his beer. “I’ve heard of these ménage situations, but never seen one up close and personal. Hell, I thought it was some shit Jerry Springer made up.”
“I’m still not following you,” I said crisply.
“Don’t you get jealous of another woman with your man?” He pointed his chin to where Vivian and Daniel were in deep conversation, oblivious to the rest of the world, their arms wound around each other. “I’m not judging or anything. Looks like it works for you, but I hope you didn’t think I’d want to get involved. I’m not a sharing man.”
“You mean—” I tried to collect my thoughts and keep my mouth from hitting the floor. “You think—You mean to say you think Vivian and Daniel are my lovers?” I was caught between wanting to laugh and being sick. I loved them, but not like that.
“Pretty obvious the way y’all are with each other,” he said, as if he had it all figured out.
“And how is that exactly?” My temper steadily heightened, which was good, because it meant my anxiety was long gone.
“The three of you can’t keep your hands off each other.”
“Because we’re affectionate, that means we’re lovers?” I asked incredulously.
“I’ve never seen friends act like that.”
“We are more than friends. We’re family. Those two people are my world. Daniel saved my life when he could have left me for dead. And yes, we’re affectionate. We love each other, but that doesn’t mean we all have sex together!” My voice rose at the end of this speech, and Daniel and Vivian halted their conversation immediately, their attention drawn.
“He thinks the three of us are lovers,” I called to them.
Vivian and Daniel shared a look, then burst into laughter. Daniel stopped immediately when he saw my displeased expression, nudging Vivian with his elbow. She covered her mouth, though her eyes still danced when she looked at me.
“I apologize,” Stone said sincerely. “Clearly I’ve jumped to the wrong conclusion.” I was positive I heard relief in his voice. “Forgive me?”
He seemed so genuinely sorry, and I couldn’t deny he was a truly nice guy. I needed to lighten up. “Apology accepted.”
Vivian buried her face against Daniel’s arm, stifling giggles, and I couldn’t hold back my own laughter any longer.
The ménage misunderstanding had broken the ice, and we ate our meal with easy conversation, as if we’d been friends all our lives. Daniel and Stone joked with each other like guys do, and Stone didn’t seem to be overly focused on me anymore. He just fit. And I realized as Vivian and I held hands that his mistake was an obvious one to make. He didn’t know I wasn’t affectionate this way with anyone else; that it was difficult for me to tolerate another person’s touch; that that kind of love would never be a part of my life.
As if to rescue me from the sadness those thoughts inevitably led to, the fireworks started, and we moved to the railing for a better view. I smiled as a gold one that looked like a weeping willow rained down.
“You like those best,” Stone observed.
“I do.”
He brushed back a lock of hair the wind had blown across my face. I froze. Fear streaked through me at the same time as something completely opposite. I was torn between distancing myself from him and praying he’d do it again. No one was allowed to touch me, though his tenderness had me craving more. It was a feeling I didn’t understand.
As the last of the red, white, and blue diamonds in the sky faded, I allowed myself, just for a second, to feel what it would be like to let another person in.
“Next time I see you, are you still going to be a sassy britches?” Stone asked.
“We haven’t even knocked a dent in all your relatives’ names. I’d say we could at least go another few rounds with that.” This time, there was no trace of malice in my tone.
“I’m going to regret admitting this later, but I had a great uncle named Canyon. Either he was born in a canyon or conceived in one, or hell, he might have lived in one. I can’t remember.”
I squinted at him, trying to determine if he was serious. “You’re joking, right?”
“Wish I could say I was,” he returned solemnly.
“I don’t even know what to say to that.”
“You could start by asking if his father’s name was Valley,” he suggested.
I gave him a genuine smile. “I was actually going to guess Gorge.”
“Ah, she does have a sense of humor,” he mused with a wink.
“Occasionally.”
Stone flashed his brilliant white teeth. “There may be hope for us to be friends after all.”
Chapter Four
Muriella
“Where are we going?” I asked once we were in Stone’s F-150 pickup. He’d led us out the back of the apartment building to the alley, where he’d parked out of sight. In my nervousness, I hadn’t really thought about the fact he was a movie star. When I was with him, I never thought about that. He didn’t complain about being chased by paparazzi and was quite good at avoiding them.
I was grateful for his discretion because I didn’t need the attention. One photo of me posted in the international media, and my perfect life would be over. That was another reason this was stupid. Sharing the spotlight with Stone was too risky. There wasn’t a day when I didn’t worry that the past would catch up with me. With every year that passed, I became more relaxed, but there was always a chance I’d be found. Last night had brought that reality crashing back.
“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you, would it?” A cocky grin spread on his tanned face. It was as if he’d struck a match and tossed it inside me.
“I suppose not,” I returned primly. I was trying to collect myself, but I was wound up tight, sitting stiffly, my back so straight it didn’t touch the plush black leather. It was then I noticed a man singing through the car speakers about cowboys and angels. This was so Stone, country music and a pickup truck in the city, but as I listened to the words, I realized the song was not playing by accident, which only heightened my nervousness.
Stone placed his hand palm up on the console, an invitation he’d never made before. “Muriella.” He waited until I turned to look at him, which was a good four blocks. “It’s just me.”
I blinked at his hand. “I know,” I said quietly before I glanced away. I wiped my hands on my jeans. I wasn’t ready.
Stone didn’t know I’d never been on a date. Literally never. That the only man I allowed myself to be alone with was Daniel…except that time in Capri. He was aware there was something, but neither Vivian nor Daniel had betrayed my confidence. It was one thing for them to know my history, but I had my pride. It wasn’t Stone’s business that I not only didn’t trust men, I was afraid of them.
The previous night with the thugs Daniel did business with had only reinforced that fear: men touch violently and without permission. And even though I knew Stone was an exception to this rule, I had trouble feeling the difference.
“I wanted to take you to Texas but figured we’d waste half our day on a plane.” Stone maneuvered through traffic as if he’d been driving in New York City all of his life.
“But what could we do there we can’t do here? This city has everything.” I looked out the window and marveled at the holiday decorations.
“I could show you what’s important to me. You could see my home, meet my m
ama, get to know me better.”
I was glad we weren’t doing that. “I already know you.”
“People are different when they’re at home. Except you. No matter where in the world we’ve been, you’re always the same,” he said.
“That’s because my home is wherever Daniel and Vivian are.”
He nodded, though it seemed impossible he wouldn’t know that for as much time as he’d spent around us.
“I’ve wanted you to meet my family for years, but it just never worked out. Y’all were always here, there, and everywhere. And you know how my schedule is.” He shrugged.
I sensed his disappointment, but I wasn’t sure if it was because we didn’t know his family or for the time he’d lost with the people most important to him. The urge to soothe that disappointment was strong.
“I know Miss Ruby, and everyone else through her letters.”
“She won’t tell me what you two write about.”
“Because what we discuss is between us.”
“You sound just like her.” That was a high compliment, even though I wasn’t certain he intended it that way. “You’ve gotta give me something.”
I pretended to think long and hard. My correspondence with Stone’s grandmother had started after she’d sent Stone to meet us with some of the ranch’s finest food. I’d written to thank her and maybe pry the recipes from her. She’d divulged a few, but I recognized her reasoning for doing so. Every recipe she gave me was a favorite of her grandson’s. I’d inadvertently made the food he loved over the years. Now I couldn’t seem to help myself.
His reaction whenever I presented a pecan pie or macaroni and cheese or chicken fried steak was one reason I loved to cook so much. Underneath it all, maybe I made his grandmother’s recipes because it was the only way I knew how to show him I cared. I couldn’t come out and say it. That would have been leading him on when I knew I would never follow through.
“Mitch and Juliana want to take the girls to Paris.” I settled on telling him something he more than likely already knew about his brother and sister-in-law.
A line creased his brow. “They do? When?”
My shoulder lifted and lowered as I covered my surprise at his lack of knowledge. The Jacobs family usually seemed to know everything about one another. “From what Ruby says, they can’t get a date worked out.”
“Why not?”
“Something about spring break being a bad time because Mitch needs to be around. Gabby wants to go to a summer camp, and Leona says she doesn’t want to go on the trip at all.”
“That doesn’t sound like her.” His frown deepened as he drummed the steering wheel. “I need to pick up the phone more often.”
“Ruby mentioned something about that too.”
“I bet she did.” He canted his head to the side. “Could you help me with something?”
“Okay,” I answered hesitantly because I couldn’t say no to him.
“I don’t know the first thing about Paris, but my brother and Juliana love that place. Haven’t been able to go since they had the girls. I want to make that trip happen.”
His generosity shouldn’t have surprised me, yet it never failed to catch me off guard. A spark of longing for the closeness he had with his family ignited. I had Daniel and Vivian. They were more than enough, but times like this made me miss my mother.
Through our letters, Miss Ruby had made their family real to me. She’d sent photos and newspaper clippings of their accomplishments. Stone’s sister had been featured as a leader of her industry in the Wall Street Journal several times. His mother and father had walked a hundred miles over six months to raise money for the children’s hospital. Mr. Jacobs the elder, Ruby’s husband, had won first prize in the chili cook-off last September. I had a photo of him holding the trophy up, surrounded by all of them.
Over the years, Ruby had made me part of them with every little bit of news she’d shared. Her monthly letters were a highlight for me. I’d never met Mitch and Juliana, yet I cared about them. Somehow, I had a stake in their happiness.
“If you tell me whether or not it’s really true that a cow comes up to the window every morning for a sip of coffee, I’ll help you.”
His face relaxed in a way it hadn’t all day. “You mean Sissy? Yeah. She really does.”
“Don’t you keep her in a pasture?”
“Of course.”
“Then how does she get to the house?”
“Opens the damn gate.”
I stared at him. “You’re lying.”
He held up both hands. “I swear I’m not.”
I folded my arms over my chest, still unsure. He seemed to be telling the truth. “Have Ruby find out when they can all go. I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Thanks. I—”
“You haven’t let them down.” His brows shot up as I addressed the concern that radiated off of him. “But planning a trip for them is a nice thing to do.”
I watched the world go by as the concrete and steel of the city gave way to the green open spaces of the countryside. I waited for that little tingle of fear I always felt when I got too far away from familiar surroundings. It never came, which brought on a new kind of scared.
As if he could sense the emotional direction of my thoughts, Stone said, “I’ve never been more afraid than I was last night.”
I jerked my head toward him at the confession, straightening as I allowed my anger to rise to the surface instead of the fear. “Daniel never should have put us in that situation.”
“You blame him.”
“Who else would I blame? He’s the one involved with those people. He let them into our home.” I gripped the edge of the seat, struggling to contain my temper.
“He didn’t exactly give them a key.”
“Didn’t he?” I challenged. “He chooses to associate with them. To keep secrets from his family. He left me unprepared. And that’s a direct contradiction to the man I thought I knew.”
“I’m not saying what he did was right, but I think if Daniel could do some things over again, last night wouldn’t have happened.”
“I never thanked you,” I said, gratitude momentarily overshadowing my anger. “You saved my life.”
“I wasn’t going to let them hurt you.”
I sucked in my cheeks as the memory of the bullet flying past my head as Stone tackled the shooter unfolded again in my mind. Fear intensified my anger to new heights. “It’s nothing short of a miracle you weren’t harmed.”
“I could say the same about you.” His voice was a quiet calm, though his unease punctured the words.
I stared out the windshield. “I don’t want to discuss this any further.”
“As much as I want to forget about it, ignoring what happened won’t make it go away.”
“It might.” The delusion easily rolled off my tongue. I knew he was right, though that didn’t mean I had to face it. I was weary from constant thoughts about the past and my fears, yet it was always there, even if I managed to keep it buried deeply. The previous night had dredged all of it back up, front and center.
“If you change your mind, you’ve got a willing ear.”
As if I would ever burden him with my real problems.
I folded my arms over my middle and changed the subject. “How did you get out of work today? Aren’t movie schedules rigid?”
He winked. “Don’t start until Monday week. I’m just doing some preliminary stuff now.”
“Why do you do it? You hate being famous.”
He exited off the parkway. “Hate is a strong word, but you’re right. I don’t particularly care for that aspect of my work.”
“You hate being away from your family.”
A long, callused index finger pointed at me. “You’re on the money there too.” His expression turned serious as his throat bobbed when he swallowed. “Are you any good at keeping secrets?”
“Better than I’d like to be,” I said, and immediately regretted it.
I stared at him, incredulous. “Had to? That doesn’t make sense. You don’t do things you don’t want to. Not unless—was your family in trouble?”
“The ranch was. It’s why my granddaddy agreed to let them shoot a movie there to begin with.”
I’d seen pictures of his home in Texas. It was hard to imagine anything ever being wrong there.
“I know you took over for the lead when he quit. I always thought you wanted to do it.”
“I wasn’t really being dishonest; there are things I like about it. But to say I wanted to do it would be a stretch. Granddaddy trusted me to keep the truth between the two of us. He didn’t want to worry the rest of the family.”
“They don’t know?”
He shook his head. “If that production company hadn’t come around when they did, we might have lost everything. The drought that year was the worst in a hundred years. Our neighbors were selling off their property in chunks just to survive.”
“I didn’t know.” How awful to lose your home and livelihood.
“Even the oil on our land wasn’t enough to save us, but we survived. We always do.” Determination etched the lines around his eyes.
“So you took the role in the movie to supplement the ranch?”
“Not exactly.” He snorted. “When that actor quit, it left the director in an awful bind. She asked me to stand in, just for practice. Now I see it for what it was. An audition. She was desperate. I was desperate. We both did things we probably wouldn’t do under normal circumstances.”
“You slept with her?” Jealousy clouded my head.
“No. If it had come to that, I’d have found another way.” He maneuvered around a slow-moving vehicle. “She said if I didn’t play the part in her movie, they’d move to a new location. We wouldn’t see a dime, even though in the short time they’d been there they’d torn up so much shit, it could make your head spin.”
“She blackmailed you.”
He tapped his index finger on the steering wheel. “I guess you could call it that. I didn’t want to do it, but I wanted to keep the ranch more.”
Three Dates (Paths To Love Book 2) Page 3
