by Susan Crosby
“Where are we coming up with the money for all this?”
“Take a look at page four. You’d be making more profit from your own work, because you’ll be working more and charging more. You may think you’ve been getting a fair price for your work, but I’ve done a ton of research into it. You could easily double your prices. Plus you’d get donations, like the pet food.”
“I don’t want or need to be fundraising, Victoria.”
“You wouldn’t.” She took a steadying breath, because this was the tricky part. “I would. Just like I did with the food, only on a bigger scale.”
“How could you do that from Atlanta?”
“It would be possible, but it’s not what I’m proposing. I’d run it from here.”
He finally looked up.
She explained the various ways she would promote his work and the sanctuary and the legal hoops he would need to jump through. The media push via the internet would be all-consuming at first. “I would take on all the business roles. You could just work. I’d not only run your saddle-and-jewelry business but all the things related to the care of the animals, ordering feed, straw, medicines, whatever is needed. You could still work with the animals, but not have the daily responsibility for their upkeep. Again, we’d use interns, apprentices, even volunteers to help. It would free you to do only the work you choose to do, whatever that may be.”
He sat back and stared at her, his expression unfathomable. “You would move to Red Rock? Give up your life in Atlanta? For this?” he asked, gesturing to the space around him.
“In a heartbeat.” Did she have doubts? Yes. But not enough to stop her from making the move.
“Why?” he asked.
Because I love you. Because I hope that by being in your life all the time, you would come to love me, too. I’m counting on that. “I’ve told you I haven’t been happy at my job. I’ve found purpose here, doing something that’s important. I can be indispensable, not just a cog in a wheel. I’ve never wanted anything this much. I’d do a great job for you.”
“I don’t doubt that.” Garrett got up and went to the refrigerator. He grabbed some orange juice and poured himself a glass, stalling.
He couldn’t take it all in. He needed time to think about it. The intrusion into his life would’ve horrified him a few weeks ago, maybe even as little as a week ago. Then he would’ve said no and walked away. Now he was considering it. That was a shock in itself.
But a crucial question needed to be answered first. “How could I afford you?” It would no longer be their final days. She wouldn’t be gone forever.
“I’d work for room and board for now. I’d sell my condo in Atlanta and use the equity from that. My maternal grandmother left me a trust I’ll have access to on my next birthday. It’s not huge but it’ll help. And I figure I’ll form a business of my own and take on clients.”
Her workload sounded overwhelming to him. As for him using her trust fund, well, they would deal with that impossibility later. No way. “Wouldn’t you have enough to do here without adding other clients?”
“I’m leaving the doors open, that’s all. At first this would be all I do.”
He studied her, looking for insecurities or doubts. He saw none. “In your mind, does that mean we’ll be living together? Sharing a bed? Being a couple?” he asked.
“That would be my choice, yes.”
“You’d stay without marriage? Because that’s not something I can ever offer you.” At some point, he would disappoint her. It’d always been so. Or maybe she’d even disappoint him. He was already breaking his rules for her.
She came up and wrapped her arms around him, burrowing close. “I know.”
And when you tire of that kind of relationship, what then? he thought. “I see your vision, Victoria. You want bigger and better. I don’t know that I do.”
She started to argue. He put up a hand. “But I’m willing to give it a shot.”
Her arms tightened. When she finally leaned back, he could see the happiness in her eyes.
“Thank you,” she said. “It’ll be good. You’ll see.”
He kissed her. It felt different somehow, as if sealing an agreement.
“Now for the hard part,” she said, not leaving his arms.
“That was easy?”
“A snap.” She grinned. “I need you to come home with me tonight and meet my parents. Let them get to know you. I need to explain why I’m leaving the family business and why I’m joining forces with you. Meeting you in person will help.”
He understood her reasoning. He also knew it would be an uphill battle. A father didn’t take well to a man taking his little girl away, especially when that man lived a thousand miles from home, wasn’t college educated, had some jail time under his belt, didn’t have many friends, much less a social circle, and could not provide a lot of extras in life. Not yet, anyway.
But then, that was thinking like he was a potential husband when he was only a potential business partner. Would her parents acknowledge the difference?
“What do I need to wear to meet your king and queen?” he asked.
She actually squealed as she leaped up on him. He caught her and held her tight.
“You must own one pair of dress pants,” she said. “If not, you have time to shop.”
He set her down. “I am that civilized, yes.”
“And the bolo you wore when you rescued me. It’ll bring good luck.”
“Fine. But you need to do something for me.”
“Anything.”
“If you want your parents to believe this is only a business deal, a partnership in the making, you need to not look at me like you always do.”
She smiled. “And how is that?”
“As if I single-handedly saved the world instead of one woman. They’ll think I’m taking advantage of you.”
“Oh, but you have.” She toyed with the buttons on his shirt as she spoke, sidling closer. “In wonderful, satisfying ways.”
He wouldn’t have to give her up. Give this up. His bed wouldn’t be empty. He’d been awake most of last night thinking about it. For the past week he’d been secretly creating a bolo tie for her as a going-away gift. He could save it for another occasion now. Something special.
“Same goes for you,” he said.
She looked pleased with his answer. “I’ll accept all the blame, if that makes you happy, cowboy.”
He was afraid to feel happy, wasn’t really sure what all it entailed. He only knew he’d felt different since she’d come into his life.
Her cell phone rang. He reached into her back pocket, pulled it out and passed it to her.
“Hey, Em,” she said. “Six o’clock. Why?”
Garrett went back to the kitchen table and thumbed through the rest of her plan. Even without studying it, he could see it was ambitious.
“Emily’s hitching a ride with us on the jet,” Victoria said, coming up beside him. “She decided she should give Wendy and Marcos a few days alone. It’s about time.”
“She said something cryptic the other day. Something about making her own destiny.”
“I know you’ll keep this confidential, so I’ll tell you. Emily’s been baby-obsessed forever. All she’s wanted is to be a mom, and she’ll be a great one, for sure. Since she turned thirty, she’s decided it’s never going to happen the usual way, so she’s tried to adopt, which isn’t working out, or at least not fast enough. Now she’s going to register at a fertility clinic. I think that’s why she’s going home. There’s an excellent facility in Atlanta. I also think she wants to check on Jordana for herself.”
“What’s wrong with Jordana?”
“She’s pregnant with Tanner Redmond’s baby.”
Garrett took a step back, which made Victoria laugh.
“Now you know the family secrets that I’ve been having to keep. Whew. Sharing that felt good. I haven’t been able to confide in anyone.”
He shook his head. Family secrets were new to him, but he knew how important it was to Victoria that she be able to confide in him. “I’ve got your back, princess. Your secrets are safe with me.”
Tears welled in her eyes immediately. “Thank you,” she whispered.
He didn’t know how to deal with her tears, so he picked up his kitchen phone. “I need to get Jimmy to take care of the place. We’ll be back tomorrow, right?”
“Even if we have to hitchhike.”
He hesitated before he dialed. “Do you think your parents will disown you over this?”
“I think it may make things tough for a little while, but disown me? Never.”
“Will your brothers challenge me to a duel?”
“Honestly, I don’t know how they’ll react. Shane may even be glad to have me gone. I think it’s been hard for him being my boss. I didn’t take orders well.”
“What a shock.” He dialed the number, talked to Jimmy, then went into his bedroom to check his clothes. She wasn’t packing much at all, having appropriate clothes at her condo to wear.
He’d seen her family’s house online, but he’d been wondering what her condo looked like. She would’ve chosen it herself, decorated it, made it her home. What kind of information could he glean about her by seeing it? Plenty, he figured.
While he was packing, Victoria lay on the bed, not making a comment unless he asked a question. He was glad she wasn’t trying to dress him beyond what she’d already told him. He wanted to make a good impression for her sake. For himself, he was okay with who he was, who he’d become, especially recently. He could stand eye to eye with anyone. What he wore mattered little.
“Have I told you what a fine figure of a man you are?” Victoria said.
“Sort of.” She stared at him a lot and touched him constantly, even during the night. Her hands would roam over him, even when she seemed sound asleep, as if she couldn’t help herself. He simply enjoyed it.
“You are. Lean and strong. Sexy. I love your shoulders and arms best, I think.”
“The better to lift you with, my dear.”
“What do you like best about me?”
“The rare times you’re humble.”
She tossed a pillow at him, pretending fury. He tossed it back, then immediately threw another, but that was all he had on his bed. No frilly decorative pillows for him.
“I like everything about you,” he said.
“Everything?”
“Maybe you’re a little bossy now and then.”
“You don’t seem to mind if I take the lead in bed sometimes.”
“True.”
“Or on the sofa.”
He remembered that particular moment fondly. “Also true.”
She grabbed his shirt and yanked him down, dragging the tails from his jeans. “Or that time on the washing machine when it was on the spin cycle.”
“Stop, stop,” he said, caught between laughter and fresh desire. “Uncle. I agree that ‘bossy’ can be a good quality.” He glanced at the bedside clock. “Jimmy will be here in fifteen minutes.”
“Which is enough time for me. How about you, cowboy?”
“I think I can manage.”
Hours later, they picked up Emily and headed to Red Rock Airport. After Emily climbed out of the truck, Garrett looked at Victoria before she hopped down, too. “You okay?” he asked. She hadn’t seemed to balk at flying out from the memory-filled airport, but he wanted to make sure.
“You’re here with me. What can go wrong?”
He didn’t want her believing that. Didn’t want her to think everything would be perfect as long as he was with her. She had to be realistic.
But she leaned over and kissed him so that he couldn’t—or maybe wouldn’t—contradict her.
“Everything’s good,” she said.
He wished he could believe that. Instead dread invaded him finally—realism. They’d left their fantasy world at the ranch behind and were facing a big unknown, except that he could pretty well predict what her parents’ reaction was going to be. He’d gotten enough hints of how they felt when he’d listened to Victoria’s side of the many phone calls.
She would be tested by her parents. Are you strong enough to stand up for yourself, Victoria? Or will going home remind you of how much you would be giving up?
Garrett needed the answers to those questions.
Chapter Twelve
Everything looks so sterile, Victoria thought as she and Garrett walked into her condo hours later. Her furnishings and art were contemporary; she’d never been a frills and flowers person. Her mother had been taken aback at the way Victoria had furnished her condo, had offered pieces from Victoria’s late grandmother’s estate, which were in storage. None of them had appealed. Now she could see their value.
“Great view,” Garrett said, noticeably not commenting on her condo. He laid his suit bag over the streamlined sofa and moved toward the window. The sky was almost dark, so the skyline was lighting up.
“That’s the main reason I chose this place. That and the in-building gym, so I wouldn’t have to go somewhere else to work out. There was a unit available on the third floor, but the fifteenth suited me. Are you hungry?”
“I could eat.”
She took a binder out of a kitchen drawer and passed it to him. “What’re you in the mood for?”
“What’s this?”
“Menus of every place nearby that delivers. I haven’t been home for three weeks. Cupboards are bare.” She felt uncomfortable around him, showing him the way she lived, the granite countertops, cherrywood cabinets and stainless-steel appliances. The brown leather sofa that held center stage on the hardwood floors.
There was no softness, except a few throw pillows and a shag area rug.
“Let’s go out,” Garrett said, closing the binder. “We’ve never been to a restaurant together.”
“We’ve been to Estelle’s and Red.”
“But we didn’t really go together, did we? So, what’s your favorite place?”
She came up to him. “We won’t run into anyone you know, but we could run into people I know. Are you okay with that?”
“I am if you are.” There was challenge in his eyes, as if daring her.
“Garrett, I’m happy to take you anywhere.”
“Okay, then. You choose, princess.”
He’d almost stopped calling her that. She hadn’t missed it.
“Do you dance?” she asked.
“I’m somewhat competent.”
“Then I know just the place. Wanna see my bedroom first?” She waggled her eyebrows.
“Sure.” He grabbed his suit bag and followed her into her bedroom, which was a little more feminine but still uncluttered and without a floral print in sight.
“I wouldn’t have pegged you as a minimalist,” he said, looking around. “I never would’ve walked into this place and thought it was yours.”
“It isn’t anymore. This belonged to an entirely different person.” Her comforter was sage-green. Other than that, there was little color. She watched him open her closet door and hang up his clothes.
“There’s color in here,” he said. “Lots of shine and glitter, too.” He whistled long and low. “Look at all those shoes.”
She’d had the closet customized for her. She did like shoes—and purses. She dressed up a lot, too. It was part of how she lived, how she was raised and what people expected of her.
He pulled a garment off the rod and held it up
. “Where’d you wear this?”
It was white, strapless and designer. “My debutante ball.”
“Debutante,” he repeated quietly. “How about this one?”
It was stuck way back in the closet, a yellow, full-skirted, off-the-shoulder number. “One of six bridesmaid gowns. My mom is storing the others in my old bedroom. This one was from a wedding in March. I hadn’t taken it to my parents’ house yet.”
“You live a fascinating life, Victoria.”
She couldn’t read his thoughts. Didn’t have a clue what he was thinking. He was a fish out of water here in her space—and she felt like one now, too.
Suddenly he grinned, moved in on her and backed her to the bed, making her fall onto it, following her down. “At least your bed’s a good size. We’ll make good use of it later.”
Her fears that he was discovering a woman he no longer liked were allayed. He’d just been, well, surprised, probably. Taken aback. He’d found his bearings again.
They didn’t linger on the bed but headed out to a club a few blocks away, one that showcased a new band every week. Sometimes it was hard rock, sometimes rhythm and blues, rarely jazz and occasionally country. They got lucky tonight with a local country band, so she figured Garrett would be happy.
After weeks of a steady diet of country music in his house and workshop, she’d developed a feel for it, too, especially the songs that told a story.
For dinner they shared a platter of ribs, corn on the cob and potato salad. Then they danced it off. He taught her a simple line dance and tried unsuccessfully to teach her a more complicated two-step. But when a ballad started, she knew exactly what to do. She moved into his arms, laid her head against his chest and closed her eyes. The dance floor was so crowded, they barely moved their feet. Foreplay at its finest, she thought.
“Someone is staring at us,” Garrett said, dipping low to whisper in her ear.
“What does she look like?”
“He.”
“Move us around so I face him.” In a moment she saw who he meant. “That’s my brother Shane. When the song’s over we can head back to the table. He’ll follow. I’m not missing out on a second of this dance.”
