A County Girl's Heart

by Dena Blake

  “The doctor says I need to use my legs.”

  Rebecca held out her hand. “Do you need some help?”

  Elizabeth waved her off and grasped the banister firmly. “No, thank you, dear. I can make it.”

  Elizabeth had slowly but surely improved the use of her legs over the past few weeks. It was apparent to Kat she had no intention of slowing down anytime soon.

  “It’s nice to see you, Kathryn.” Elizabeth stepped off the last step onto the marble floor. “I’m so glad you could make it for breakfast this morning.”

  Kat kissed her lightly on the cheek. “It looks like you’re doing well.”

  “I am. Please come in and sit down.” Elizabeth took Kat’s arm and led her into the dining room. “Now tell me how everything is at the ranch.”

  “It’s certainly been a challenge lately. But now that Virgil’s feeling better, life should be back to normal soon.” Kat helped Elizabeth into the chair at the head of the table before settling into the one just to the right of her, where a full plate of French toast was already waiting. “This looks delicious, Maggie.”

  “I put the shaker of powdered sugar right there in front of you, Miss Kathryn, just in case you need a little more.” Maggie gave her a wink, then waited for her to take a bite.

  “Is there any maple syrup?” Rebecca asked.

  Maggie frowned. “French toast is meant to be light and delicate.”

  “I know, but I like it sweet, like me.” She grinned.

  “If you must have it, Miss Rebecca, it’s right here.” Maggie leaned forward and moved the crystal boat closer to her plate.

  Kat smiled as she remembered how Rebecca and Maggie had gone round and round about the syrup when she was a child. Apparently, Rebecca still loved to torment Maggie.

  “And I was thinking you didn’t love me. Thank you, Maggie.” Rebecca’s voice was as thick and sweet as the syrup itself.

  Kat chuckled as she picked up her knife and fork, cut a small piece off the corner of her French toast, and put it into her mouth. “Um…” She closed her eyes in delight. “This is perfection, just the way it is.”

  Maggie turned, donning a smile of satisfaction. “I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything else.”

  “You always were a suck-up.” Rebecca raised her eyebrows and twisted her lips into a grin. “It’s nice having my big sister back.”

  “Virgil told me you’ve been working very hard lately,” Elizabeth said, ignoring their banter.

  “You’ve been in contact with Virgil?” Rebecca blurted, failing miserably to conceal the surprise in her voice.

  “We used to be quite close, you know, and I was hoping we might possibly recapture the friendship we once had.”

  Rebecca’s mouth dropped open. “You mean you want to—”

  “Yes, Rebecca, that’s what I mean. He is your father, after all.”

  “I think that’s a fine idea,” Kat said, fighting to hold back a chuckle.

  Elizabeth glanced over at Rebecca and frowned. “Don’t look so surprised, dear. I may be old, but I’m not frigid.”

  Rebecca gave her a wide-eyed look. “I’m sorry, Mother. I just never thought about you and Virgil that way. Or even…Oh God!” Her face contorted and she dropped her fork. “You and any man, for that matter.”

  Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. “Rebecca, I don’t find this at all amusing.”

  “Nor do I, Mother.” Rebecca’s voice rose. “I just found out that I have a stable hand for a father.”

  Elizabeth took in a deep breath, and Kat knew she was summoning her patience. “At one time, Virgil and I loved each other very much. But he knows how much you girls mean to me.”

  “It’s hard to believe you gave him up for us. Not for the money.” Rebecca picked up her knife and fork to cut her toast.

  “Rebecca.” Kat leaned forward. “Do we have to do this now?” She knew Rebecca was upset, but this kind of jousting wouldn’t do anyone any good.

  Elizabeth raised a hand. “It’s fine, Kathryn. Let’s bring it all out in the open.” She looked down into her bowl of oatmeal. “Maggie, do we have any fruit?” She looked up at Maggie’s scowling face, who took her half-eaten bowl of food and then slid a plate of fruit in front of her. “Thank you, dear. Try the strawberries, girls. They’ve been delicious lately.” Always the consummate hostess, she smiled and looked down at her plate. “You may not believe it, but I love both you girls, and I’ve always wanted what’s best for you.”

  Kat stabbed at a blueberry, bouncing it across her plate. “So why didn’t you tell us any of this before now?”

  “What was the point? There was no chance for us then.” Elizabeth took the knife from the table and sliced a strawberry into fourths before placing one in her mouth.

  “You make it sound so easy,” Kat said softly, her mind still cluttered with the persistent emotions created by DJ. The feelings hadn’t diminished, even with the distance she’d deliberately put between them.

  Elizabeth clanged the knife down onto her plate. “On the contrary, Kathryn. I think you’re well aware that giving up someone you love is far from easy. Virgil and I both knew that someday we’d be together again. We just had to let each other go until then.” She stared at Kat as she moved the fruit around on her plate with her fork. “My reasons were quite valid. Are yours?”

  Blindsided by the question, Kat snapped her head up and stared at Elizabeth. “My reasons, whatever they may be, are my reasons, and they’re personal.” She blotted her lips with her napkin and tossed it onto the table. The chair scraped against the floor as she pushed away, bolted up, and charged to the French doors that led to the garden.

  “Damn it, Mother.” Rebecca threw herself back into her chair.

  “Well, someone had to say something. You and Danica may be willing to let her go, but I’m not.”

  Rebecca sprang up and followed Kat. “This isn’t about letting her go. It’s about letting her be happy.”

  “Do you really think she can be happy without Danica?”

  “No. I don’t.” She stopped in the doorway. “But she’s the one who has to recognize that.”

  Kat took in their conversation as she left the house. She was halfway across the garden before she felt the moisture streaming down her face. She dropped down on one of the many concrete benches placed strategically throughout the garden and admired the beauty of the flowers. A few of them were still at their peak, but with the ensuing summer heat, the majority had already begun to die.

  She felt like one of them. Just a few short weeks before, she’d been gloriously happy, reveling in the new love life had given her. Now she felt as though she were withering inside, dying just like the flowers.

  Kat cradled her head in her hands. She’d made her decision about DJ without taking time to deal with her feelings. Her mother never sugar-coated her methods. Maybe a reality jolt was exactly what Kat needed. She was finally realizing just what she was giving up.

  Rebecca touched her shoulder. “Are you all right?”

  “I will be.” Kat wiped away her tears before taking Rebecca’s hand. “I guess with everything that’s been going on lately, I haven’t dealt with my feelings for DJ.”

  Rebecca slid onto the bench next to her and lifted Kat’s chin with her hand. “Just promise me you’ll be open-minded about her, okay?”

  Kat nodded, agreeing even though she wasn’t sure she could.

  Rebecca stood and offered Kat her hand. “We should really go if we want to make a proper entrance at the board meeting.”

  Kat took her hand and walked along the garden pathway with her. “I should check my makeup before we go. I must look a mess.”

  “You’re beautiful, Kat.” Rebecca smiled, wiping the remaining moisture from Kat’s face. “And you’re going to be all right.” She pulled her into a hug.

  Kat had regained her composure and was once again in control of her feelings as they drove downtown to the Montgomery Building.

  “It looks like
we’re going to have a lovely day,” Elizabeth said, looking out the window.

  “Hopefully it won’t be above eighty degrees before noon.” Rebecca reached for the air-conditioning knob. She turned it up a notch and peeked into the rearview mirror at herself. “I’m already beginning to glow.”

  “Are you going to be available for all the board meetings, Kathryn?” Elizabeth asked.

  Kat kept her gaze constant on the endless string of oak trees mesmerizing her through the smoked-glass window. “No. I won’t be here for them. I’m giving my proxy to Rebecca.”

  Elizabeth’s soft disposition changed quickly. “But I gave you that stock so you would remain active in the company.”

  “And I told you, I’m not interested in the company.” Kat’s voice was firm.

  “You know the rules, Kathryn. Rebecca doesn’t have enough stock to carry your proxy.”

  She shifted sideways to look over the seat at Elizabeth. “She does now. I gave her half of what you gave me.”

  Elizabeth sprang forward. Clutching the headrest, she dug her fingernails into the soft leather. “You can’t do that.”

  “Oh yes, I can.” Kat smiled broadly. “I had the papers drawn up last week, and there’s not a single thing you can do about it.”

  Elizabeth sank against the seat. “You’re going to leave your poor mother out in the cold?”

  Rebecca chuckled, glancing into the rearview mirror. “You’ll be far from out in the cold, but things are definitely going to change around here.”

  “You ungrateful—”

  “Be careful, Mother,” Kat said. “Do you really want to alienate your last link in the company?”

  Elizabeth crossed her arms. “Drop me off at the rear entrance. I’ll go up alone.” Her lips puckered as the words flew out impatiently.

  “No, you won’t.” Kat gave her a don’t-cross-me look. “We’re going to walk into that boardroom with esprit de corps.” She reached for Rebecca’s hand. “Everyone is going to know that Rebecca is in control and we’re behind her one hundred percent.”

  Rebecca glanced at her in the mirror again. “Contrary to what you may think, Mother, this isn’t about you. The board needs to know, along with every other predator out there, that this company is not vulnerable.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Since Daddy died, at least two other companies have been waiting to swoop in and take control,” Rebecca said as she parked the car in the space reserved for her in front of the Montgomery Building.

  “I didn’t know anything about that.” Elizabeth’s voice had quieted.

  “Exactly,” Kat said. “If Rebecca wasn’t here, your precious little company would already be in someone else’s hands.” She slid out of the front seat and then opened the door for Elizabeth. “Now come on.” She took her mother’s hand and helped her out. “If we’re going to make the meeting on time, we need to head out now.”

  Elizabeth shot out in front of them, plunking her cane to the ground. “You girls have certainly become more commanding as you’ve matured.”

  “Like mother, like daughters.” Kat winked, putting her hand out. Rebecca took it and clasped it in hers.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Kat paced the hallway just outside the conference room. “I hate having to stand up in front of these people and talk.”

  “Tell me about it.” Rebecca let out a chuckle. “The first time I made a presentation, I was so nervous, I whipped the pointer around like it was a lightsaber. Halfway through the meeting, Daddy took it away from me.”

  “I wish I’d been here to see that,” Kat said, giving her a wide smile.

  Rebecca bumped Kat with her shoulder. “You would have enjoyed it. I almost poked his eye out.”

  Kat raised an eyebrow. “Oh, yes. That I definitely would have enjoyed.”

  Rebecca’s attention veered to the elevator, prompting Kat to peek over her shoulder. Zing! There DJ stood, hair spiked and looking awesomely dapper, dressed in the midnight-blue suit that emphasized her athletic build and accented her already impressive physique. Kat swallowed hard as DJ approached, trying to fight the persistent yearning running through her veins.

  “Ladies.” One by one, DJ took each of their hands and raised them slowly to her lips.

  DJ let Kat’s hand linger beneath her lips just a bit longer, and Kat felt the familiar jolt she’d tried so desperately to ignore. DJ’s gaze moved slowly up, and Kat was caught by her intense sea-green eyes. She couldn’t suppress the sensations that rushed her as the woman she loved stood before her.

  The door opened, and Rebecca’s assistant poked her head out into the hallway. “They’re just about ready to start.”

  “Come on, Kat.” Rebecca moved to the door. “Kat, it’s time,” she repeated, breaking the trance in which DJ seemed to have her captured. “You’ll have to excuse us, Dani.” Rebecca looped her arm in Kat’s and led her to the door.

  Elizabeth, Rebecca, and Kat made their entrance and sat at the rear of the room until the chairman called the meeting to order. After welcoming everyone, the chairman asked if any of them would like to address the board, and Kat politely accepted.

  “Go get ’em,” Rebecca whispered, slipping a silver telescoping pointer into Kat’s hand. Kat smiled. The gesture actually helped calm her nerves.

  Kat made her way to the front of the boardroom, lightly touching a few shoulders along the way. She’d been gone a long time, but some of the faces, though somewhat older, were still familiar.

  “Hello, everyone. My name is Kathryn Jackson. A few of you may remember me.” She let her gaze dart back and forth among those she recognized, who smiled and gave her a nod of acknowledgment. “But I’m sure the majority of you haven’t the slightest idea who I am.” She rolled the pointer between her thumb and fingertips. “I’m the other daughter, the one who doesn’t want anything to do with this company.” She tossed the pointer onto the table, and it clanged and rolled until someone reached out and stopped it. “However, if anyone in this room has any ideas about taking control away from my sister Rebecca, you’ll be seeing a lot more of me than you’d ever dreamed.”

  She picked up a pile of folders and passed them around the table. “As you can see from these figures, your stock has continued to grow without deviation over the past few months.” She paused a moment, giving everyone a chance to look at the reports. “You all know from experience what Rebecca can do, and with your support, she’ll continue to be instrumental in the growth of this company.”

  Kat became momentarily distracted when she saw her mother whisper something in DJ’s ear. When DJ crossed her legs and shifted to face Elizabeth, she couldn’t help but wonder what her mother was saying. When DJ changed her focus to the front of the room and smiled at Kat, she lost her train of thought.

  To cover her momentary lapse, Kat cleared her throat and said, “Is there something you’d like to add, Ms. Callahan?” The question came out louder than Kat had intended, and the sound of her voice reverberated throughout the small boardroom as she stared into DJ’s shimmering green eyes.

  DJ uncrossed her legs and sat up squarely. “Just that I’m behind you and Rebecca one hundred percent.” She lowered her chin and gave her a supportive smile.

  Kat was fully aware of the warmth lingering behind DJ’s smile, and the response her body gave was more intense than she’d expected.

  She poured a small amount of water into the glass on the table in front of her and took a drink. “Now, unless anyone has any questions for me, I’ll turn the meeting over to Rebecca.” She waited momentarily, fully prepared to field any questions, but none came. Apparently, the board members were satisfied with Rebecca’s performance for the time being.

  “Looks like you’re in charge.” Kat swiped the pointer from the table and handed it to Rebecca before slipping to the rear of the room, then out into the hallway, where she flattened herself against the wall and closed her eyes. After she’d locked eyes with DJ, the whole expe
rience had been a blur.

  “I think you made your point.”

  DJ’s voice startled her, and Kat opened her eyes. “I hope so.” She let out a sigh of relief. “We appreciate your help. Hopefully Rebecca won’t have to worry about battling anyone for control ever again.”

  DJ searched Kat’s face. “Each and every moment I know you, I’m more impressed.” Her eyes seemed to reflect genuine admiration, and Kat gave her smile in return. “I miss that.” DJ reached to touch her, and Kat retreated. “I miss you, Kat.” She closed the distance between them, cupped her cheek in her hand, and let her thumb drag across Kat’s lips.

  “DJ, please don’t do this.” Kat closed her eyes and begged for the blaze DJ ignited in her to diffuse.

  “What about us, Kat? I can’t just let you go.”

  Kat opened her eyes and studied DJ’s face. She knew every line, every crease by heart. She’d seen it every night in her dreams for the past few weeks. She didn’t want to look, but knowing she might never be this close again, her mind demanded it. She brushed her fingers through the sprigs of blond coloring her temples. They looked remarkably white now against the dark color of her suit.

  “DJ, like it or not, you are a city girl, and I’ll forever be a country girl.” DJ had her wondering for a while, but after seeing her today, in this drastically different element, Kat knew where DJ belonged, and Kat just didn’t fit here. Kat draped her hand across DJ’s and removed it from her face. “Your life is here, and mine is at the ranch. You know if I stayed, I would never be happy.” She turned to the window and stared out over the city.

  “Kat, please, can’t we make this work, somehow?” DJ snaked her arms around Kat’s waist and immersed her face in Kat’s hair.

  “I’ve distanced myself from this place for several reasons. You were sitting right next to one of them in that boardroom. She tried to manipulate you as well.” Kat understood DJ’s reasons for wanting her in Austin, but she couldn’t come back to this life or to her mother’s control. “I’d end up hating you for it.” Kat didn’t want that. She wanted the passion igniting within her right now—DJ’s body close with her arms around her, the very things Kat knew she couldn’t have. “It would be a weekend romance at best.” The emotion choked inside her, almost suffocating her words. “I need more than that. We both do.”