by Vivi Holt
His mother nodded curtly. “Yes, that would be nice.”
He noticed his father hadn’t said another word, just watched him through darkened eyes with his arms still folded. “Mom, is something wrong?”
She sniffed, then straightened her back. “Yes, dear, something is very wrong. Chantelle has told us something quite disturbing … I hope it’s not true, but she assures us it is.”
He made a show of rolling his eyes. “I can only imagine.” Gwen squeezed his good hand.
“She says that you and Gwen aren’t really engaged at all. That you only pretended so you could get your father’s job. Is that right?”
Heath’s stomach churned, and for a moment he considered continuing the lie. But he found he couldn’t. “Mom, Dad … I’m sorry. You’re always pressuring me to settle down, get married. And Dad, you knew I was qualified to run the company, but you kept jerking it away. I didn’t think it was fair …”
“That’s enough!” Dad shouted clenching his fists at his sides. “Don’t make excuses. I didn’t raise you to behave this way. Heck, I’m not sure who you are now.”
“Don’t say that, Dad. I feel bad about this – it was a spur of the moment decision and I shouldn’t have done it …”
Gwen stepped forward, her hands raised in surrender. “It was my fault, Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery – don’t blame Heath. I needed the money and he offered to help me.”
But Heath drew her back. “No, Gwen – the idea was mine, and the decision to prolong it was mine.”
“Never mind,” Mom insisted. “What’s done is done. I suppose that’s the end of the engagement-party planning. Nana was very disappointed to hear all her hard work was for nothing. I will speak with you later, Heath.” She marched toward the parking lot with Dad following.
Chantelle closed in, a smirk on her painted lips. “Sorry about that, Heath, but …”
“No, you’re not,” Heath interrupted. “You’re not sorry at all. I don’t know why you feel the need to nose into my family’s business, but I feel sorry for you if you’re really that desperate for attention.”
“And thank you for saving us the trouble of letting everyone know, Chantelle,” Gwen added. “We came here today to end the ruse, and now we don’t have to.”
Chantelle’s face clouded over. “Oh … you’re welcome.” She nodded numbly and walked back to her convertible.
Heath’s face flamed and his gut churned. How dare she? It wasn’t her place to say those things. Yes, he’d been wrong to lie, but that was on him. She was just trying to cause trouble – and she’d succeeded.
Within a minute, all of the remaining cars were gone, leaving his truck alone. Heath faced Gwen with a frown. “I’m sorry about that.”
She shivered and rubbed her arms. “Please take me home.”
Heath clicked his tongue and the black gelding shot forward at a canter. He inhaled, letting the brisk morning air fill his lungs. It felt good to be outdoors, enjoying the sunrise and looking over the ranch.
After everything that had happened the day before, he needed today to himself. The ranch hands had the day off every Sunday, and he often spent the day at church and out riding. It was a time for him to get away from it all, to spend time thinking, praying and dreaming of what might be. But right now all he wanted to do was block out everything. Every time he let it, his mind wandered back to the day before – to Gwen, that kiss and the confrontation at the picnic area.
He shook his head and dug his heels into the gelding’s sides. The animal pushed into a gallop, and he leaned forward over the horse’s neck as the grass swept by beneath its flying hooves. God, forgive me for lying and hurting my family … and hurting Gwen, he prayed. Help me see a way forward …
Gradually the animal’s pace slowed, finally stopping beside a narrow creek that bubbled and played over smooth rocks and around muddy bends. The horse dropped his head to drink, and Heath dismounted to stretch his legs. He walked into a thicket of hemlock and sat with his back against a tree trunk. The bark scratched through his shirt and he squinted up into the sky.
What should he do now?
A mewling caught his ear and he stood quickly, striding purposefully toward the noise. His gelding grazed nearby and the noise of the creek made it difficult to hear, but there it was again, a clear cry of distress.
He found the foal easily – it had mired itself in some thick mud by the creek’s edge. He headed toward it, being careful to stay on solid ground. When he reached it, he could see it had been there a while – white foam flecked its mouth, its eyes were rolled back in its head and it struggled to pull its hooves free. “Shh, shhh … I’m not gonna hurt you,” he whispered, gently stroking its soft neck. “Now what have you gotten yourself into?”
He felt along each spindly leg … no breaks as far as he could tell. It had just gotten stuck. He worked gaps around the animal’s legs with his fingers, then carefully pulled each leg out. Finally, the foal jerked backward and trotted off over the dry ground and out of reach.
He smiled and sat back on the ground to watch it go. It always felt good to set a creature free, to help alleviate its pain. That’s why it had been so difficult with Gwen. He’d set her free, and even though he hated to do it, she’d thank him for it one day, he was sure. He wasn’t ready to be the kind of man she wanted, was he? Did she even want him? She’d been so angry yesterday, then the kiss had turned everything upside down, and … he wasn’t sure what he felt.
He sighed and stood, brushing the dirt and mud from his jeans. He shook his head when he realized there was more mud on his hands than his jeans and he was only making things worse. Is that what he’d done, made everything worse? It certainly felt that way. Every time he’d made a choice, it only complicated his relationship with Gwen, with his parents, with Nana. Now he had what he’d set out for – the CEO position at Montgomery Ranches – and it was ashes in his mouth.
And on top of it all, he missed her. It had only been one day, but the way they’d left things, he wasn’t sure if he’d see her again. They’d planned on breaking up, but never went through with it – quite the opposite if that kiss was any indicator. Still, it felt as though when he dropped her home, it was over. She hadn’t met his eyes, just said goodbye and walked into her building without a backward glance.
The idea of not having Gwen in his life was too much. His throat tightened and he gazed up at the sky overhead, watching the sunrise disappear, replaced by a clear blue. A memory of their shared kiss made his skin warm.
Heath returned to the gelding, remounted and spurred him toward the ranch house. He had a busy day ahead. And he had to think on what to do about Gwen, since he couldn’t get her out of his head. Could they make it work? He wasn’t sure, but there was only one way to find out.
“So the police have wrapped up their investigation.” Adam sat in front of Heath’s desk late Monday afternoon with a smile. “They arrested Paula Weston at home this morning, her and her husband. Apparently he was involved somehow.”
Heath nodded. “Okay, great. So what do we have to do now?”
“Nothing yet. The prosecutor wants to meet with us later this week to talk through their case, but I don’t think it’s going to trial anytime soon. They’ll talk to us about where the money is and hopefully let us know the chances of recovering it.”
“Do we know how she managed it yet?”
“She was hiding the fraud under capital improvements.” Adam leaned back in his chair. “Anyway, we’ll know more after the meeting.”
“Thanks for taking care of this. I really appreciate it – I’ve been … distracted lately.”
Adam grinned. “Yeah, I know – with Gwen, right? How’s the fake engagement going?”
Heath sighed. “It’s over.”
“Yeah? That’s a shame, I thought the two of you really had something there.” He chuckled and linked his hands behind his head.
“Actually …”
Adam’s eyes widened. “Ohhhh … you fell
for her, didn’t you? Oh, that is classic.”
“I don’t know what to do. We broke up, or meant to … it’s complicated. Chantelle showed up to this family picnic on Saturday and told them all about what was going on, thinking she could use it to win me back.”
“No way!”
“Yes, she did; and no, she’s not winning me back.” Heath ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “Mom isn’t speaking to me. Nana went home feeling unwell and won’t answer the phone. Dad is the only one talking to me, and he’s just avoiding the topic altogether, which beats the alternative.”
“Well, good luck with all that.” Adam stood, stretched and yawned. “I’m heading home for the day. It’s been a long one.”
“See you tomorrow.” Heath rubbed his face as Adam left. He was glad the police had finished their investigation. He felt as though he’d handled that well, if nothing else. Tomorrow he would update Dad and the board on the issue. What he really wanted to do right now, though, was call Gwen and tell her about it. He pulled out his phone and stared at it. He’d only known her for a few weeks, but every time something good happened in his life, or even something bad, she was the one he wanted to talk to about it.
But given how they’d left things, a call wasn’t good enough.
Gwen put in her earbuds, stood and stretched one arm over her head, then the other. She took off at a jog, her feet hitting the pavement in rhythm with the music. The park was familiar territory – she often jogged there. The sidewalk snaked its way through green fields, and junipers and hemlocks dotted the hills on either side.
It was time she got out of the house other than to go to work. For the past few weeks, she’d been caught up in Heath Montgomery’s drama, but that had come to a crashing halt. Well, now was her time. She was not going to sit at home, watch TV on the couch, order take-out and go to bed early every night. She’d done enough moping after Edward left – she was all moped out.
She frowned and ran harder. She was upset, but why? After the divorce, she’d been relieved, angry, afraid, so many other emotions. But this felt different – like there was a hole in her chest that hadn’t been there before. She’d almost called him this afternoon, but then remembered the look on his face when his mother told him she knew about their farce and she stopped herself. She didn’t belong with him, certainly didn’t fit in his family. And even if she had, they’d never accept her now. The deception was too much, she knew that.
Her feet pounded the pavement and sweat beaded on her forehead and ran down her cheeks. She just wanted to forget it all – her marriage, the divorce, poverty, Heath, everything. But memories still flashed across her mind’s eye, ending with Heath’s smiling face, his stubbled cheeks dimpling and his blue eyes sparkling.
God, help me to heal, she prayed. Give me wisdom to move on.
Her breathing was labored as she pushed herself up one more hill. At the top she stopped and rested her hands on her thighs to catch her breath. There was nothing she could do about it. If Heath wanted to move on and forget all about her, she couldn’t stop him – and didn’t have the strength left to try. She might as well do the same.
That resolve lasted until she approached her apartment and spotted a weather-worn blue pickup truck. Heath was leaning against the side of it truck, booted feet crossed at the ankles. He was dressed for work – dark suit, light blue shirt, power tie. He must have come straight from the office.
She slowed to a walk, hands on her hips. Sweat dripped off her face, which no doubt was currently red as a tomato, and soaked her tank top. Her hair hung in lank strands and she likely smelled like a gym locker room. Just great. “Hi,” she said, stopping in front of him.
He smiled. “Hi.”
“I wasn’t expecting to see you.”
His lips pursed. “I know. I just wanted to tell you something and I didn’t want to wait, so I just thought I’d stop by. Is that okay?”
She nodded. “Sure, what is it?”
He ran a hand over his mouth and took a step closer. “I talked to my brother about your ex and the alimony situation.”
“Oh yeah. Thanks for doing that.”
“Sure. Anyway, he looked into it and found the divorce settlement was already lopsided in your ex’s favor, so even if he wants to contest, his chances at alimony are zero. He also says if you want to go back to court, he can overturn it and get you a better settlement.”
“Wow. That’s amazing.”
“I hope it’ll help.”
“Well, it’s good to know.” She didn’t really want to go back before a judge. She wanted to embrace Heath – her arms ached to – but she was covered in sweat.
Silence descended between them. She hugged herself tight to try and block out the awkwardness. He sighed and stepped closer, his eyes full of an intensity that brought heat to her cheeks. His hands dropped to his sides, clenching and unclenching as if he longed to reach out for her the same way she did for him. “Gwen … are you free for dinner Saturday night?”
She blinked. “Dinner … Saturday? Yes, I’m free.”
“Great. I’ll pick you up at 9 a.m.”
Her brow furrowed. “9 a.m. for dinner?”
“Yeah. Is that okay?”
She shrugged. “It’s Saturday and I don’t have anything planned. I guess it’s fine.”
He grinned and nodded. “Great – I’ll see you then. Oh, and pack an overnight bag.”
“What?” Her pulse raced despite her confusion. “I’m not that kind of girl, Mr. Montgomery.”
He threw his head back and laughed, sending shivers up her spine and making her smile. “I know. It’s not like that. Don’t worry – there will be plenty of chaperones.”
She frowned. “Okay, but what kind of clothes should I bring?”
“Something nice.” He winked.
She set her hands on her hips. “Great, thanks. You’re a lot of help.”
He chuckled. “You’d look good in a feed sack.” He walked around the truck and climbed in, waving to her out the window. “See you Saturday!”
Gwen waved goodbye, then turned to run into the apartment building, her thoughts in a whirl. An overnight bag? Where was he taking her? Excitement buzzed in her stomach as she climbed the stairs, and a smile drifted across her face. His drama might be the death of her, but she was still looking forward to Saturday.
15
Gwen closed the zipper on her luggage and catalogued all the contents in her mind. Had she packed everything she’d need? But how could she know, since Heath hadn’t told her where they were going? She chewed on a fingernail, then pulled it from her mouth with a grimace when she realized she’d nibbled it down to the quick.
She glanced at her outfit – was it suitable? Again, who knew? She’d decided on the sea-blue dress with the spaghetti straps from the Montgomery wedding. Heath said it brought out her eyes, and she liked the way its hemline fell, soft and subtle, around her knees. Still, it felt odd to be so dressed up at 8:55 in the morning. Perhaps she should change …
“Where are you going again?” called Diana from the kitchen.
“I don’t know. He just said to pack for overnight. So I won’t be back until … well, I don’t know. It better be by Monday morning, or Lisa will have my head.”
“Well, just keep me updated so I know when to call the police.” Diana chuckled and stirred the scrambled eggs. The toaster popped up two slices of toast.
Gwen’s stomach churned, for reasons having nothing to do with food. “I’ll call you when we get to … our destination.”
“Thanks!”
There was a knock at the door and Gwen hurried to answer it. Heath stood there in khakis, a button-down shirt and the ever-present cowboy boots. His dark hair was still damp and freshly combed. “Hi,” he said with a wide smile.
“Hi,” she replied quietly, mirroring their conversation from Monday. She felt like a nervous schoolgirl around him, which was ridiculous. She should pull herself together or he’d think she was a total ditz
.
He leaned forward and kissed her softly, sending her heart into overdrive. “Good to see you,” he whispered against her hair. “You look beautiful.”
What was going on? Hadn’t they ended things? She was utterly confused. She stepped back, her cheeks flaming. “We’re off, Diana,” she called tremulously. “See you soon.”
Heath picked up Gwen’s bag and led her out the door. A long black limousine waited by the curb, its engine idling. He handed her luggage to the driver, then opened the rear door for her. She slid in and smoothed her dress over her legs. “So are you going to tell me where we’re headed yet?”
Heath chuckled. “Nope. You’ll have to wait and see.”
The limo pulled away from the curb and they chatted quietly. They leaned toward each other, closing the gap between them until his arm was around her shoulders, hugging her close. It was as natural as breathing, and the best place in the world to be.
They were so deep in conversation that when the car pulled to a stop she hadn’t noticed their surroundings. The driver opened her door and she stepped outside to find she was at the jet center. The Montgomery jet was parked inside, waiting for them to board. She grinned and threw her arms around Heath’s neck. “We’re flying somewhere?”
He nodded, and she kissed him full on the mouth. His lips invited hers in and he held her there, feet suspended above the ground, while their souls entwined and her heart sang. If this was what a breakup was supposed to feel like, she’d take it.
Finally, he set her down with a smile. “Yes, we’re flying.”
“Okay.” She scampered on board, unable to wipe the smile from her face. The last time she’d boarded that jet, she’d been heading into the unknown too – the destination was clear, but she didn’t know Heath or what the weekend would bring. Her heart had been heavy over her own circumstances and she’d wondered if she’d ever feel hope again. This was different – she’d determined over the last five days to enjoy this, regardless of where it led. And if it led nowhere … well, at least she’d have fun.
