“You may have anything the house offers, sir. Coffee, hot tea, iced tea, orange drink, lemonade or milk.”
I’d like to pull you onto my lap and kiss you senseless. That’s what I’d like for starters.
“Iced tea, thank you.”
“And for your main course?”
He saw his favorite lamb roast tucked in there between the chicken cordon bleu and the beef Stroganoff. Everything was in French, more of Stefanie’s inspiration.
“The l’agneau à la menthe, s’il vous plait.”
“Whoa—Mr. Wainwright!” Gary blurted. “That sounded rad. Whatever you ordered, that’s what I’m going to have.” Who would guess this from a formerly out of control fourteen-year-old who’d been arrested a dozen times for burglary and auto theft.
Gabe broke out laughing. As his head reared back, his eyes connected with Stefanie’s for a moment. She was trying hard to stay in character, but he could tell her shoulders were shaking with silent laughter.
Tonight he was being presented with yet another version of Stefanie Dawson. It frightened him because she seemed to fit in here so naturally.
After working alongside her as they helped deliver Lucky, he conceded that she could do anything, like giving a meal for a bunch of troubled kids who just might make it in life if given half a chance. But she’d be equally at home in the state dining room, gracing a dinner for a group of world leaders trying to find a solution for peace.
Not for the first time since she’d arrived here was he tempted to phone his father and have it confirmed once again from his own lips that Stefanie valued a political marriage at its highest level over true love.
Maybe it was what Gabe needed to hear so he’d be able to stay away from her when she went to work in Kalispell. Hell—his desire for her had grown so intense, he couldn’t guarantee that he wouldn’t force his way into the old nursery tonight.
The earliest he could call his father was ten. That would make it one o’clock on the East Coast. Gabe had planned to give it a good half year before the two of them talked again. But events beyond Gabe’s control had changed the timetable.
During his torturous preoccupation, he didn’t realize everyone had finished the main course and was waiting for him to blow out the candles so they could enjoy dessert.
At Gary’s urging he got up from his chair and walked over to the cake. Clover followed him. His faithful shadow.
“You have to make a wish,” Marva instructed. Stefanie hovered nearby.
A wish…
That was easy.
It was the same wish he’d had when he’d asked Stefanie to dinner on that fateful night.
The wish that she would have answered his question about wanting to be First Lady with, “Only if you are my husband. Don’t you know I love you so much, I’d live with you in a mud hut if that’s what it took to be your wife?”
Her wrong answer had almost destroyed him, just as her unexpected presence at the ranch was going to be his ruination if he didn’t do something about it fast.
As soon as he blew out the candles, cake was served. The surprise party Stefanie had planned had not only been an unmitigated success, but it had accomplished a subtle breakthrough between student and staff.
There was an atmosphere of congeniality that hadn’t quite been present before. Gabe considered it somewhat of a miracle. When he looked around to thank her, he discovered she’d been cornered by Mack who’d shown a surprising amount of aggressiveness all evening.
Gabe couldn’t blame Stefanie for his foreman’s behavior. Without any effort on her part, she’d always drawn men to her. If he were being honest, he’d never seen her purposely flirt with another man. Never once in their marriage had she done anything in or out of his presence that could be construed as provocative behavior.
“Before you all turn in,” he spoke up, “let’s give a round of applause to Marva and Teri who presented all of us with a night to remember.”
While everyone did his bidding, his chief cook went red in the face as she bustled around removing plates from the table. Stefanie was already at the sink doing dishes. Mack stood at her side with a dishcloth in hand to help. Gabe would wait until she was alone before he approached her.
One by one the students and staff filed out of the dining room. He stayed to chat with Marva as they removed tablecloths and put the plaid ones back on in preparation for the next day.
“Gabe?” an anxious female voice called out from the doorway. Everyone’s heads turned in that direction.
Madelaine.
With so much going on in his honor, Gabe had almost forgotten about her and Clay. He never noticed that they hadn’t come in for dinner. Obviously things were bad. She looked ill.
He hurried over to her. “Where’s Clay?”
“I don’t know. He wanted to show me his cabin. While we were there I had my talk with him. That’s when he dashed out and wouldn’t come back. I called and ran after him, but couldn’t find him. So I hurried in here to get you.”
“He couldn’t have gotten very far yet. Go in the living room and wait for me.”
“All right.”
As she went back through the doors, Mack appeared at his side. “What’s the trouble, boss?”
“Clay’s disappeared.”
“I’ll round up the guys and we’ll form a search party.”
“I’ll join you in a minute.”
Marva put a hand on his arm. “How can Teri and I help?”
“Take care of Clay’s mother.”
“Shall I show her to the guest bedroom?”
“That would be fine.”
“I’ll make up a tray,” Stefanie volunteered.
His gaze flashed to hers. “She shouldn’t be left alone.”
“Don’t worry.” With those two words she communicated that she understood the reason for his underlying fear. He felt immense relief and gratitude.
Knowing Madelaine would be taken care of, he dashed out of the kitchen to his office with Clover at his heels.
The switch to lock the main gate and set the electric fence could be operated from there. No matter how fast Clay could run, it was still seven miles to the nearest exit. He wouldn’t be able to escape.
If he decided to lose himself somewhere on the ranch, it might take a while, but they’d eventually find him. Better them than the police. The judge wouldn’t give Clay any more breaks.
Once Gabe had phoned the Wrigleys upstairs to explain the problem so they’d keep an eye out, he took off for the paddock in his Explorer. “Come on, girl. I’m going to need your help.”
Clover barked in response, so human at times it was scary.
Okay, Clay Talbot. Where are you? It’s time to lay all the cards on the table. I should have done it the day I took you shopping with Stefanie.
Stefanie placed a cup of hot tea on the tray next to the food. “Marva? I know why Clay ran away, and have a pretty good idea where he went. As soon as I catch up to him, I think I’ll be able to fix the problem. If you’ll take this to Mrs. Talbot and stay with her, I’ll go after him.”
“That’s fine with me. But why didn’t you tell all this to Gabe?”
She expelled a nervous sigh. “Because everything’s very complicated right now.”
“You’re telling me,” the cook muttered under her breath.
No doubt the intelligent older woman had divined Stefanie’s guilty secret. “I’m going to have to ask you to trust me, Marva.”
“I already do.”
“Thank you.” She hugged her, then ran to the bedroom for her jacket and purse.
Clay loved Gabe and blamed Stefanie for ruining his plans. He wanted to teach both of them a lesson. What better way to put the fear into them than leave the ranch. She had an idea he’d head for Marion and talk one of the tourists at the Branding Iron into giving him a lift to anywhere.
But her plan to head him off met with its first obstacle when she discovered the main gate locked tight. It had never eve
n been closed before! She had no choice but to head back to the main house and find out how to unlock it.
As she was turning around, she heard a noise coming from the back seat of her car. She stepped on the brake and looked over the seat.
“Clay!” It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him how he’d gotten into a locked car. That is until she remembered he’d been caught by the police for these kinds of offenses among others. The little monkey was clever and had decided to hide there until she drove off the property. He might have had a long wait.
On instinct she pushed the electric lock so he couldn’t get out, then shut off the engine. Now she had him trapped.
“I know you hate me, but before you do something that will make it impossible for Gabe to help you anymore, you’d better listen to me. Please sit up. It’s important.”
Her stern voice must have come as something of a surprise because he did her bidding while she reached in the glove compartment for her contact lens case.
“Okay. Now that I can see your eyes, I’d like you to see mine.” Throwing caution to the wind, she removed her contact lenses. “Keep looking!”
The admonition wasn’t necessary because he appeared glued to what he was seeing. Carefully she took out the bobby pins so she could pull off her wig.
“Voilà. You are now gazing at Stefanie Dawson, Gabe’s ex-wife.”
Silence was golden. She had an idea he was remembering the picture Gabe had told her he’d seen.
Taking advantage of it she plunged ahead. “Instead of going to Europe, I came after him because I love him. If your mother loves him, then she’ll have to fight me for him because I won’t let him go without a struggle. I’ve loved him years longer than your mother has, so I have first rights.
“Of course if he returns your mother’s love, then there’s no contest. But since he hasn’t told me anything one way or the other, I’m kind of working in the dark around here.
“When you confided that you were hoping he and your mom would get together, I had to do something quick. Just like you did when you ran out on everyone tonight,” she added in effort to get him thinking.
“Gabe told me your mother drinks because she’s grieving for your father. I can understand that. He says you’ve gotten into trouble because you’re grieving for your dad, too. I understand that very well.
“As for me, it seems like I’ve been grieving for Gabe forever. I grieved for him our whole marriage because he didn’t ask me to marry him out of love.
“I turned to role-playing instead of alcohol or vandalism. And believe me, I was good at it! So good he never guessed how much I loved him. I’m still playing a role, but I’m sick of it, Clay. So sick of it, I don’t know what to do anymore.” Her voice shook.
“Now it’s your turn to talk.”
He bowed his head. The next words she heard came out muffled.
“Mom said there was nothing between them but friendship.”
Tears stung her eyes.
“I only heard him talk about you once,” he admitted grudgingly.
Her heart thudded. “You don’t have to tell me.”
He lifted his head. She saw a tell-tale mist glazing his eyes. “It might be important. When he mentioned that he was divorced, I asked him why. He said it was because his ex-wife preferred life on the East Coast.”
Disappointment shot through her. That was no news to her. “It’s what he believes.”
“But you came out here wearing that disguise, and he’s let you stay. I don’t get it.”
“He’s only given me until the weekend. Then I have to leave.”
“That’s crazy. When I asked him if you’d seen his ranch, he said it would never happen. Then he told me life didn’t always go the way we wanted it to, so it was time we both put the past behind us.”
Stefanie stirred restlessly on the seat. What had Gabe meant by that remark? Had he been referring to the fact that he’d had to make a break with his father in order to live the way he wanted?
Or had he meant something else? Something personal to do with their marriage. If Stefanie knew the answer to that question…
But first she needed to help Clay.
“Now that I’ve told you the truth, despise me if you want. Not Gabe. I happen to know he’s crazy about you. He brought you all the way from Providence to be with him. He didn’t have to do that, and he hasn’t done it for any of the other boys.
“Maybe he can’t be your father, but he’s always been your friend. He always will be if you don’t push him away. You see, I know something about him you don’t. This ranch represents his lifelong dream. Gabe’s here to stay until the day he dies.
“Did you know he has arranged for your mom to get help with her drinking while she’s here? He wants the two of you to be a family again. At this point are you prepared to throw everything back in his face?”
One tear, then another trickled down his pale cheeks.
“No,” he croaked the word.
“I didn’t think so. How about we go back to the ranch? I’ll fix it so everything will be all right.”
“You’d do that for me?”
“Just watch me!”
She hurriedly put on her wig. When the contact lenses were back in, she started up the car.
Before long they pulled up to the ranch house. Clay followed Stefanie into the foyer. Dr. Wrigley stepped out of the office.
“Clay?”
“It’s all right, John,” Stefanie forestalled him. “We’ve been outside talking. Go on upstairs, Clay,” she urged the teen. “Your mom’s going to be using the guest bedroom while she’s here. If Marva’s still with her, send her down, will you?”
“Sure.” Clay took the stairs two at a time.
The resident psychologist eyed Stefanie a little strangely, but he didn’t interfere for which she was grateful. It would come out in therapy soon enough.
“I’ll inform Gabe so he’ll call off the search.”
“Thanks, John. I was just going to ask Marva to do it,” she said as the older woman started down the stairs.
“Do what?”
“Ask you to phone Gabe with the good news.”
“Well, as I always say, all’s well that ends well.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more. Good night, everybody.”
Anxious to avoid any discussion, Stefanie locked herself in the bathroom and took a hot shower. After wearing the wig all day, it felt good to wash her hair.
Every night was like déjà vu as she wrapped her head in a towel and poked it out the door to see if the way was clear.
When she could finally turn out the light and get into bed, she found she was really exhausted. So much effort had been put into the party preparations. Then for Clay to disappear like that…
Thank goodness he had run away! The crisis had produced results. Like Gabe had told her, Clay needed to face reality. Tonight he’d been forced to do that. Stefanie felt it was all to the good.
As for her own personal crisis, she finally had answers to one question, which had haunted her since she began the drive across the country. Gabe wasn’t in love with Madelaine.
Maybe the two of them had had an affair. It was something Stefanie would never know. But whatever had gone on between them in the way of an amorous nature, if it had gone on, was over.
After the party she’d given him, if he didn’t know she was prepared to do anything for him, then she would have to resort to the only option that remained open…cast aside her pride and make an all-out confession.
She would have to pick her time well. Not tonight.
Tomorrow night.
Tomorrow night she would steal into his bedroom.
If he turned her away…
She buried her face in the pillow. She wouldn’t think about that tonight. Tonight she could still dream in possibilities…
“Stefanie?”
Her name was being called from a long distance off. She turned on her back.
“Wake up!�
��
It sounded like Gabe’s voice.
“I’m here.”
“I know you are. Get up and unlock the door.”
“Don’t you have a key?”
“Not for this room.”
“Why not?”
“You don’t want to know.”
He sounded angry. Gabe was always angry about something.
“Don’t be cross.”
“Stefanie? Have you been drinking?”
When the question registered, she came fully awake.
“Gabe?”
“Contact at last.”
She sat up in the cot, pushing the hair out of her eyes. “I-is something wrong?” Her eyes darted to her alarm clock. “It’s four in the morning!”
“I’ve been with a sick calf, but all’s well now. Open the door.”
This wasn’t the night she’d planned to make her confession, but since he was awake, perhaps she should blurt it while she still had the courage.
“I have a better idea. Why don’t you go to your bedroom, a-and I’ll join you,” she stammered. Her heart was pounding so hard it interfered with her breathing.
“If you don’t open the door this instant, I’ll remove it from the hinges.”
He hadn’t even heard her! Or else he had chosen to ignore her offer.
She’d been given her answer. Her heart seemed to drop from her body to some bottomless pit.
After turning the lock, she got back in the cot. He walked in, slamming the door behind him. The next thing she knew he’d turned on the lamp. There was a vaguely wild look in those green eyes. It made her the slightest bit nervous.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
His hands went to his hips, dominating the tiny room with his dark, masterful presence. “I was afraid the incident with Clay might have been ugly.”
“So you thought I’d resorted to drinking?”
His eyes narrowed on her mouth. “No. Not really. But I had to make sure you were all right.”
She struggled for breath. “Have you talked to Clay?”
“No. John Wrigley told me to leave it alone and I agreed with him. Do you mind telling me what happened?”
“Of course not. I figured he wanted to leave the ranch so I went after him in my car. He was hiding in the back seat.”
Husband for a Year Page 12
