by Judy Duarte
As Andy clucked his tongue and returned to the table, where his wife waited, Miguel took Nicole by the hand again and gave it a squeeze. “How are you feeling now?”
Nicole laughed. “Like I can leap tall buildings in a single bound.”
Ten minutes later, after a few stiff formalities, Miguel and Nicole sat across from Andy and Elizabeth Castleton, sipping an expensive bottle of Napa Valley merlot.
The white linen-draped table had been set with china, crystal and silver and adorned with a crystal vase filled with yellow roses.
“Nicole says you plan to open a nightclub,” Elizabeth Castleton said.
“Yes, I do.” He’d had the plans drawn up, even though he hadn’t found a building to lease or to buy. But seeing the blueprints meant his dream was finally taking shape. And after Nicole paid him for marrying her and helping her out of a legal jam, he’d be able to take the next steps.
And it felt damn good to know he’d see the grand opening of Mendoza’s in the near future.
“You know,” Andy said, “I commend you for trying to do something for yourself, but managing a nightclub will keep you up late at night and at work on weekends. I can see where that will create problems on the home front. What kind of life is that for a man who expects to have a happy wife and family?”
Miguel tensed. His first thought was to tell Nicole’s father to take a flying leap—or something not nearly as polite and with words that were inappropriate for mixed company. The arrogant bastard had shot down his hopes and dreams once before, and he wouldn’t stand idly by and let it happen again.
But before he could answer, Nicole jumped in. “Don’t worry about the time Miguel will need to spend away from home. We’ll work through that.”
Andy frowned and reached for his wineglass.
A shroud of silence stretched across the room until Elizabeth addressed her daughter. “How’s the new house coming along, honey? I’m not sure why you insisted upon moving away from the country club—and outside the city limits. You’re in a better place now. You could have purchased that lot just down the street from us if you wanted more room.”
“I didn’t want more property, Mom.”
Miguel hadn’t realized Nicole was planning a move. He wished she would have mentioned it. That’s the kind of thing a woman’s fiancé ought to know about.
“Your condo was professionally decorated. And it’s so close. Besides, this community is safe and secure. If you ever have to go home alone late at night—”
“I’ll have Miguel to come home to from now on,” Nicole said. “He just moved in with me.”
The Castletons both straightened, clearly taken aback by her announcement.
Miguel hadn’t expected anything different from them, yet their reactions still stung.
“Nicole,” her father said, “you know how your mother and I feel about that sort of thing. You two shouldn’t live together until after the wedding, assuming you actually go through with it.”
Assuming they went through with it?
For a guy who’d always kept his emotions and reactions in check, Miguel felt compelled to climb over the table and grab the older man by his dapper, two-hundred-dollar silk tie. But he fought the impulse, donned a rakish grin and said, “Oh, there’ll be a wedding. And like it or not, we’ll have a honeymoon, too.”
One that would start tonight, if he had his way.
Miguel glanced across the table, caught Andy’s gaze and held it in a silent challenge. Prior to this evening, he’d wanted to make love with Nicole for all the right reasons. But as her father drew an invisible line in the sand, there was a wrong reason, too.
He was going to enjoy getting back at the Castletons.
Chapter Five
If Miguel had felt the least bit uncomfortable eating dinner with Andy and Elizabeth Castleton at the Red Rock Country Club last night, he certainly hadn’t shown it.
There’d been a moment when Nicole had suspected that he’d let down his guard, that he’d taken offense at her father’s obvious displeasure at their renewed romance. But it had passed as quickly as she’d sensed it flare.
“So what’s the deal with the new house?” Miguel asked, as they drove back to her condo.
“There’s a new development outside the Red Rock city limits that I spotted a while back, and it really appealed to me. A few weeks ago, I purchased one of the houses. Escrow will close soon, and I’ll be moving.”
“It’s too bad your parents aren’t more supportive.”
“I know. You’d think that I planned to move across the country. But to be honest, I don’t care. Part of the appeal of that particular development was the fact that it’s a twenty-minute drive from their house.”
“Too bad you can’t put more distance between you than that,” he said.
“For the most part, they mean well.”
He chuffed. “Rather than standing up to them, you decided it would be easier to sell your house and buy another.”
“I just stood up to them now. I’m marrying a man they don’t really know or approve of, and I’ve let him move in with me.”
Okay, so she’d also hired him, rather than resign as VP of Castleton Boots to make her point, a stand she hadn’t been ready to take. Because while her father loved her unconditionally, she knew he could play hardball when it came to the company. And she wasn’t sure if she’d win the challenge or not.
“But you’re right,” she admitted. “I haven’t always stood my ground with them, and it’s high time I did. That sneaky legal maneuver they tried to pull really opened my eyes.”
He didn’t respond, so she added, “For what it’s worth, I didn’t just buy the house on a whim or because of its location. It has a cottage style that appeals to me in a lot of ways. And believe it or not, I’ve never been the country club type.”
“You could have fooled me.”
She stole another glance at him, trying to read his expression. What had he meant by that? She didn’t play golf or tennis.
But she let it drop. Instead, she addressed his big move to New York. Did he think he was somehow more independent because of it?
“So why did you leave Red Rock? Were you trying to distance yourself from your family?”
“No, I just needed to get out on my own. I love my family, and we’re still very close. They might not have liked the idea of me moving out of state, but they respected me and my choices enough to not stand in my way.”
“Are you saying that’s not the case with my family?”
He turned in his seat, his gaze reaching across the console and locking onto hers with an intensity that might make a weaker woman lean back. “I don’t like that way your father patronizes me, but I can take it. What really burns me is the way he treats you.”
“He loves me.”
“I’m not doubting that. But he doesn’t respect you, Nic. And you’ve earned that respect time and time again.”
She wanted to argue, yet she appreciated his support, his confidence in her. And she had to admit there was some truth to what he said.
Miguel pulled in front of her condo and parked at the curb, but rather than shut off the ignition, he turned in his seat and faced her. “Look at you. You’re not only bright, but beautiful. You’re also outgoing, kind and generous. In high school you got along with the jocks and cheerleaders, as well as the math geeks. And I’m sure that’s still true when it comes to business. You could hold the world in your hands—given the chance.”
“Thanks, Miguel. I appreciate that. But people always seem to make assumptions about me based on my appearance—or my last name.”
“That’s hard not to do. It’s one reason you had so many guys wanting to date you in high school.”
Maybe so, but only one of them had ever gotten to first base—Miguel Mendoza, t
he teenage heartthrob who’d grown into the handsome man sitting across from her now.
“So tell me,” he said. “How many other guys were in the running when you had to find a husband?”
To be honest? Not a single one. But that wasn’t because she’d never gone out with anyone since Miguel. In fact, after college, she’d dated extensively for a while. But in the past couple of years, she hadn’t found the time. So it was no wonder that she’d yet to meet “the one.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve been in a serious relationship,” she admitted.
“That surprises me. I would have thought you would have been married already. I hope you aren’t buying into your parents’ hype that no one is good enough for their little princess.”
“Of course not.”
In college, and then again a couple of years back, she’d actively dated, searching for Mr. Right. But she hadn’t met anyone who’d interested her enough to invest in a long-term relationship. And then, more recently, as she began to ascend the corporate ladder, she’d become too focused on work to take time for romance.
She’d considered another possibility, though. Marnie had once suggested that she held each of her potential boyfriends up to the gold standard of Miguel.
She’d like to say that wasn’t true, but maybe it was. If truth be told, no one else’s kisses had been able to turn her inside out the way Miguel’s had. And on top of that, she held on to her parents’ morality. She didn’t like the idea of sleeping with a guy she didn’t love.
And in high school, she’d loved Miguel.
Maybe a very small part of her still did.
“Well, for what it’s worth,” Miguel said, “I feel sorry for the real Mr. Right.”
“Why is that?”
“He’s going to have a rough row to hoe in pleasing your parents. Your dad might think he’s a class act, but he’s a real jerk.”
Nicole couldn’t help but smile. “After tonight, I don’t blame you for feeling that way. My father wasn’t exactly warm and welcoming.”
“To say the least.”
“When my parents finally get used to the idea and realize we’re actually getting married, they’ll be more accepting of you.”
“So you say. But either way, I’ll deal with it.”
She didn’t doubt that he could take it. She just wished things were different.
“But for the record,” he added, “I’m glad our relationship isn’t real. It would be a shame to actually be in love with you and get a reception like that from your parents.”
She understood what he meant, and he was right. Yet at the same time, his words ripped into her.
Sure, they’d grown up and moved on with their lives. And their relationship was merely a business deal. But it was still a little unsettling to know that he’d stopped loving her somewhere along the way, and even more so to realize that he was glad that he had.
She glanced across the console, noting his profile, admiring the strong cut of his jaw.
The streetlight they’d parked next to provided a better glimpse of his facial features—thick eyelashes most women would die for, an aquiline nose left slightly bent after a collision with a shortstop at second base.
“Well, there’s no need to sit out here all night,” he said. “We may as well go inside.” Then he shut off the ignition and climbed from the car.
Nicole opened the passenger door and let herself out, too. Together they walked to the front door.
There wouldn’t be a good-night kiss tonight, since he’d be staying. And even though she liked the idea of sharing another heated kiss, it wasn’t a good idea.
She might still have feelings for Miguel, but he’d made it clear how he felt about her.
I’m glad our relationship isn’t real, he’d said just moments ago. It would be a shame to actually be in love with you...
So as tempting as it was to think about inviting him into her bed sometime during their make-believe engagement, it was best that she’d given him the guest room.
Even if she did let down her guard when it came to sex outside of marriage, she wouldn’t sleep with a man who didn’t love her.
* * *
For the next couple days, Nicole spent her evenings working late at the office. In spite of what she’d told Miguel, her reasons for doing so didn’t have very much to do with the demands of her job as vice president.
In all honesty, the more time she spent away from the house, the less she had to deal with her sexy roommate. But that didn’t mean she didn’t think about him morning, noon and night.
How could she not? He was a real dynamo when it came to making things happen—like meeting her at the courthouse to apply for their marriage license and to line up a justice of the peace to marry them in a small, outdoor ceremony at Molly’s Pride a week from Saturday.
He’d even scheduled the movers to come the day after her escrow closed. And he’d contacted the utility companies, too.
Miguel was going to make a wonderful husband one of these days. That is, if he ever decided to marry someone for real—and for keeps.
But he hadn’t just hung out at the condo all day, waiting for Nicole to come home and trying to make himself useful. He’d also been talking to his cousin, Roberto Mendoza, who was a contractor and real estate developer. Together they’d been checking out sites for the nightclub he planned to open, too.
Last night, after she returned home from the office, they’d talked about it. And now that the weekend had rolled around, he wanted to show her some of the properties he was considering. Of course, that would probably have to wait until Sunday. She was having lunch at Isabella’s today.
After showering, she dressed for the day, choosing a yellow sundress and a pair of low heels—something suitable for an afternoon spent at the Fortunes’ ranch. Then she went into the kitchen, where she found Miguel wearing only a pair of gray sweatpants.
He’d just brewed a pot of coffee and he was placing a sliced bagel into the toaster. But any thoughts of caffeine or food slipped her mind completely as she studied his broad shoulders, his narrow waist.
As if sensing her presence, he turned to face her, his chest bare, his abs well-defined, his belly taut.
He offered her a heartwarming smile. “Good morning. How about some coffee?”
In terms of morning stimulation, caffeine was the last thing she needed. But she shook off the arousing effects of having Mr. Tall, Dark and Gorgeous in her kitchen. “Coffee sounds good. Thanks.”
Miguel turned back to the carafe on the counter and reached into the cupboard for a white mug. After filling it nearly to the brim, he handed it to her. “How’d you sleep?”
“All right. And you?”
“I can’t complain.”
She pulled the nonfat instant creamer from the pantry, as well as the sweetener, and doctored her morning brew just the way she liked it.
As she did so, he filled a cup for himself. She took a seat at the table, assuming he’d join her. Instead, he remained standing at the kitchen counter.
“What time are you going to Isabella’s?” he asked.
“I thought I’d leave at eleven-thirty, although I should probably go sooner. I’m not exactly sure how to get there.”
“I’ll give you directions. It’s pretty easy to find. Are you nervous about having lunch with my sister?”
“No, not at all. I’ve always liked her. And she was really sweet when I saw her again at Red the other night. Besides, I’m looking forward to seeing Molly’s Pride. A while back, I saw a photo spread and read an article in Southwestern Ranches and Estates about the big remodel.”
She’d also been impressed by what she’d learned about the happily married couple and the amazing home they’d created together.
The toaster popped, and
Miguel reached into the cupboard for a small plate. “How about a bagel?” he asked.
“You go ahead. I’ll take the next one.”
He nodded, then as he reached for the butter, he said, “Molly’s Pride was pretty cool when J.R. first bought it, but together, he and Isabella made it a showcase.”
“That’s what I gathered.”
“Funny thing,” Miguel said, as he turned back to face her again. “If you would have known J.R. a few years back, you never would have expected him to be the kind of guy to take up ranching.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, he’s a Fortune.” Miguel leaned a hip against the kitchen counter and took a sip of his coffee. “Some of his family might be from Red Rock, but William Fortune, Jr., otherwise known as J.R., grew up in Los Angeles. He used to be a successful business exec at Fortune Forecasting, a company that specializes in predicting marketplace trends. But he gave it all up—the big-city life, designer suits and fancy coffee—to become a rancher.”
“Did your sister have anything to do with that decision?”
Miguel chuckled. “No, J.R. made that move on his own. He did set his sights on her first, but she’s proud of her Tejano heritage and had wanted a man who shared her same culture. So she fought her attraction to him until it was too strong to ignore.”
Nicole had enjoyed reading the article and learning all about Isabella’s talent. She was not only an interior designer, she was also an artist who wove the most amazing southwestern blankets and tapestries. And she had used her designing skill, as well as her artwork, to create an amazing home that reflected her heritage.
“I might ask your sister if she’s interested in a decorating job,” Nicole said. “I’d been meaning to hire someone to help me with the new house, but I hadn’t gotten around to it yet.”
“I’m sure she’d not only like working with you, but she’ll also have some good ideas for you to consider.” Miguel took another drink of his coffee. “You might want to discuss the wedding with her, too.”
“There really isn’t much to discuss. I want to keep it simple. Just our immediate family—and Marnie, of course.”
