by Sara Orwig
“I don’t have to consider the ploy a long time. I think this is the best thing to do,” she replied.
“Connor opposed this plan adamantly, and since learning the truth, I understand why.”
“I hear your objections. Trust me, I do. But it’s decided now that we’ll try the plan. What’s the first step?”
“Go to lunch at the Royal Diner.”
“What if no one eavesdrops or overhears us? Maybe we’ll have to do this several times.”
“If there are some snoopy people who eat in the Royal Diner at noontime, the news will get around. Let’s go to lunch tomorrow,” he suggested. “If you’re hell-bent to do this, there’s no need in waiting.”
“That’s fine with me.”
They stared at each other and she could feel the emotional tug-of-war between them.
“You can tell your family what we’re going to do, although Connor probably will tell them before you’ve had a chance. And I want to talk to your father about our plans for you to be a decoy.”
“Even if he doesn’t like the idea, he’ll do what I want. I think he’ll agree it’s the best solution.”
“Also, I want to tell him that I intend to marry you. I won’t have your family thinking I don’t want to.”
She nodded, hurting and feeling more control slipping away from her. They stared at each other and she felt locked in an impasse.
“We can work this out if we try,” he said.
“I hope so,” she answered, but at the moment the chances looked slim.
“Rose, think about my proposal,” Tom said, his voice changing and his tone holding a gentle note. “It would be good to be married.”
“You don’t know that,” she said, looking away.
“You don’t know that it wouldn’t be good,” he fired back. “Think about it. We’re doing great when we’re together, and now there’s a wonderful reason to stay together.”
“You’re beginning to sound like a hopeless romantic. You surprise me. There are so many differences between us,” she said and his eyes narrowed.
“I’m willing to try to iron them out,” he said.
She remained silent, because at this point the differences seemed monumental and set in concrete.
“I’ll move in here right away. I need to leave for a while, but I’ll be back for dinner. I’ll try to slip in without being followed. I don’t want anyone other than our Cattleman’s Club guys, our families and hands to know I’m here.”
“Do you think you can keep that a secret?”
“Should be able to if I’m not followed. Once we’ve eaten in town, I don’t need to leave the ranch. We can meet at the diner tomorrow and when we leave, we can go our separate ways.”
“I pray this works and we catch whoever has been trying to hurt us.”
“I’ll be back about seven,” he said and she watched him walk out of the room. As he left, she remained where she was until she heard the door close behind him. She walked to the front door and watched him get into his truck while she thought about the changes in her life in the past hour—changes that might alter her future forever. Beneath his surprise and anger had been a genuine desire for the baby that she had never expected.
She shook her hair away from her face. Tom knew about the baby now. Tom knows. The knowledge hounded her. His discovery of the truth had been worse than she had expected, but that was because the news hadn’t come from her.
“Tom,” she whispered, wondering how long it would take him to get over his hurt. His proposal dangled before her, but she had absolutely no intention of marrying him and settling on a ranch. She would never compromise on that.
She went to the kitchen, getting out chocolate syrup and a bottle of milk, when she heard a knock at the front door. Rose hurried to open the door, wondering if Tom had returned, but it was Nita who came striding in.
“Come back to the kitchen,” Rose invited. “I’m going to get a glass of chocolate milk. Would you like one?”
“No, thank you,” Nita replied and followed Rose into the kitchen. Nita put her hands on her hips while she surveyed Rose. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” Rose answered, filling a glass full of milk, then adding chocolate syrup.
“You can buy that already mixed,” Nita said and Rose smiled.
“I know you can, but I like this. You’re missing something by not having any.”
“Not today. I saw Tom’s pickup, so I assumed he came to tell you about the Cattleman’s Club guys’ plan.”
“Yes, he did.”
“Connor told me about their scheme to make you a decoy,” Nita said. “Connor and Tom were opposed to setting you up as bait but finally agreed to go along. Rose, why don’t you let me be the decoy?”
Rose shook her head. “No. There’s no need. I’ll be guarded constantly. Hopefully the killer won’t know Tom is staying with me and it’ll seem easy to get to me. Thanks, Nita, but let me do this.”
“None of us want you to, but if you back out, you’ll have to let more people know about your pregnancy.”
“And I’m sure not ready to do that yet. I’m the decoy. Let’s leave it at that.”
“Are you absolutely sure it’s all right with you? I know Daddy’s not going to like it one bit.”
“I think it’s a good idea. None of us is safe now. Let’s see if we can’t get the killer to tip his hand and get this over with. Let the guys catch him.”
“Or her,” Nita said and Rose nodded.
“That isn’t all Daddy isn’t going to like,” Rose said. She studied Nita and knew she could confide in her sister. “Nita, Tom is the father of my baby.”
“Oh, my word.” As Nita stared in silence, Rose wondered what was going through her sister’s mind.
“Does Tom know about the baby?”
“Yes. And of course Tom’s already asked me to marry him—as I predicted he would,” Rose replied, glancing at her sister while she stirred her chocolate and milk. The spoon clinked against the glass in the quiet kitchen. “I declined his offer.”
“Oh, Rose. Are you sure about your refusal? Are you really thinking this through?”
“Absolutely. He didn’t propose because of his undying love for me. Nita, you would have done the same and you know it.” Rose looked at Nita questioningly. “Want a cookie and pop?”
“Sure. I’ll take you up on that,” Nita said, crossing the kitchen to get a chocolate-chip cookie. She opened the refrigerator, helped herself to a cold bottle of pop and opened it while Rose pulled out a chair and sat at the kitchen table. Nita joined her, sitting facing her. Sunlight spilled through the large windows, and Rose thought it was such a sunny, peaceful day for so much to be happening.
“If I had to make a decision, I think I’d give marriage a chance,” Nita said tentatively. “After all, you went out with him last night, so there must be something between the two of you.”
“What’s between us is a very physical relationship. That’s no basis for accepting his proposal that was given for one reason only.”
“It’s a damned good reason, I’d say,” Nita stated solemnly.
“There’s got to be more to the relationship than passion. You’re friends with Connor.”
Nita nodded. “Isn’t there a strong chance of you and Tom becoming friends?”
“There might be, but he’s bought a ranch and wants to settle out here.”
“Oh, damn. That’s why you don’t want to think about marrying him,” Nita said. “I don’t understand how you can feel that way when you grew up here. I think this is the most wonderful spot on earth.” She shook her head. “Well, there goes any chance of marriage to Tom.”
“I’m afraid so.”
“You might feel differently about ranch life now that you’re grown up,” Nita said.
“Whose side are you on?”
“Yours—and maybe your baby’s.”
“Sorry, Nita,” Rose said, instantly contrite that she had snapped at Nita. “I kn
ow you’ll support me and you’re interested in my welfare, not Tom’s.”
“It’s the first time since Mother died that you haven’t been able to control things,” Nita replied quietly. “That’s bound to be upsetting.”
Rose tried to smile. “That’s an understatement. I know I have to tell Daddy, but damn, I hate to. A Devlin and a Windcroft making a baby.”
“Just tell him. He won’t care because the only thing on his mind is that he will become a grandfather. Rose, I’ve never seen him like this. He’s overjoyed and hums and sings all day if he isn’t talking about building you a nursery.”
“This isn’t what he wanted when he longed for a grandchild and you know it.”
“It’ll be all right,” Nita insisted. “You’ll see. Tell Daddy the truth about Tom and let him get used to the idea. If it turns out that it really wasn’t the Devlins causing us trouble, he might even like Tom. Speaking of Tom—I thought the plan was for him to stay with you 24/7. I don’t see any evidence of him around here.”
“He’s gone home to pack. Tomorrow we’ll circulate the rumor that I know the location of the treasure.”
“I hope this works. At least since the Devlins have started helping patrol the ranch, we haven’t had another incident.” With a scrape of her boots on the terra-cotta floor, Nita stood and headed toward the door. “I gotta go.” She paused to look back at Rose. “Cheer up. It ought to be better now.”
“I don’t know where you get that.”
“It will. You’ll see. I promised I’d be there with Jimmy when they unload the sorrel we’re getting today. Want to come with me?”
“I’ll pass on that,” Rose replied. “Thanks, Nita, for coming to see me.”
“Sure,” Nita replied cheerfully as Rose walked to the door with her.
Aware that Tom would be back in a few hours, Rose closed the door and returned to the kitchen with her thoughts on Tom.
His marriage proposal was exactly what she had predicted from him. Well, no way. She wanted a love match, not a husband who felt duty bound to marry her.
As soon as she gave birth, Rose knew that Jane and her father were going to want her to stay at the farm permanently so they could help raise her baby. That wasn’t what Rose wanted to do either. She would live here until her baby was born, but later, she wanted to return to Dallas and not be buried out in the country in West Texas. For too long this was what she had struggled to get away from.
She finished her milk, then went to her office to work. An hour later she turned off her computer because she couldn’t keep her mind off Tom and on her work. She decided to get ready for the evening and facing Tom again. She recalled the long, hard look he had given her before he’d left. What was he feeling now?
Tom returned home to shower and pack.
As he tossed clothes into a suitcase, he thought about the future. He hadn’t intended for a pregnancy to happen and neither had Rose.
This wasn’t what he had dreamed about—far from it. He and Rose did not have a loving and trusting relationship. But they were going to have a baby. The wonder of becoming a father took Tom’s breath. A little girl. He didn’t know a thing about baby girls, but he would learn.
Hurt tinged with anger smoldered when he thought about Rose keeping the truth from him. Yet in fairness, what could he expect when he hadn’t made a commitment to her? He hadn’t even looked her up after their first incredible night together.
Now he understood why she had had such an intense reaction to seeing him yesterday—the first time since Houston. And the first time here at her own home place. No wonder her jaw had dropped and she’d looked stunned.
The thought of his marriage proposal raised questions and qualms. Was he really ready for marriage? Would he fall in love with Rose? On a purely physical level she appealed to him more than any other woman he had ever known.
“Dammit!” he said aloud. He was willing to marry and try to establish a family for the sake of the baby. At the same time, he wanted to become a rancher, and being the wife of a rancher was the last thing Rose wanted. He paused to think about the land he had purchased. Rose was strong-willed, had her own business, knew what she wanted in life.
To himself he vowed that whatever happened, he would do everything in his power to keep from hurting their baby.
Shortly after six o’clock he left for the horse farm. His emotions were stormy and fears for Rose’s safety plagued him. The Club’s plan to use her to lure the killer out of hiding still felt wrong. Common sense told him that she would have plenty of protection, but he knew how things could go awry so quickly with the best of plans. He didn’t know if his worries had heightened because of Connor’s opposition to the plan or if he truly had a premonition of disaster.
It was half past seven when Rose heard Tom’s pickup and she went to the back door to greet him. He carried grocery sacks in both arms. Dressed in jeans, a blue shirt and boots, he was as handsome as ever, and she tried to ignore the inevitable jump in her pulse. Why did she have this intense reaction to him? Why did he look more handsome to her than every other man? Why couldn’t she see him without this leap in her heartbeat?
Was it purely physical attraction? Or was it deeper than that? She had too many unanswered questions that plagued her. He brushed past her and set the sacks on the island in the kitchen. She helped him unload the groceries, catching a scent of his enticing aftershave. While they prepared dinner and made casual conversation, she was conscious of him moving around near her. Each occasional contact between them stirred more tingles.
They ate in the cozy kitchen with a fire roaring in the fireplace. Over dinner Tom studied her. “Let me refill your water unless you want tea. Which would you prefer?” he asked.
If the moment hadn’t been so solemn, she would have been amused how he had hovered over her since his arrival. “I’ll take water,” she replied, watching while he refilled their glasses. When their fingers touched, she saw the flicker in the depths of his eyes and knew he experienced the same sparks that she had.
“You look pretty, Rose,” he said solemnly, and she wondered if, in spite of his anger, he was planning another seduction. Since she had turned down his proposal, she had to start resisting him physically.
As soon as they finished eating he stood and came around to her, touching her shoulder lightly. “Let’s go sit in the family room,” he suggested. As they left the kitchen, he glanced down at her. “How have you felt?”
“I’m fine, and have been ninety-five percent of the time,” she said.
“That’s good to hear. Do you have a doctor in Dallas and one here?”
“I don’t have a local obstetrician yet.”
“I’m sure Uncle Lucas knows doctors in Royal. I’ll help you find one,” Tom said.
“I’ll find a doctor,” she replied, thinking that Tom was trying to take charge of small aspects of her life just as she had suspected he might.
When they sat on the sofa, he moved closer to her, revving her pulse another notch. She should move back, but he touched her shoulder lightly, a mere brush of his fingers. “I’m glad I’m with you, Rose.”
She nodded, fighting an inner battle with herself. She wanted to close the space between them and kiss him. At the same time, she wanted to maintain some degree of aloofness.
“It’s temporary,” she said softly. “You’ll be here until the trouble with the farm ends.”
They gazed into each other’s eyes and tension heightened. “You’re not changing, Tom, and I can’t change. There isn’t a future for us,” she said softly.
“We’ll share a future—the question is, where and what kind?” He placed both hands on her shoulders and gazed down solemnly.
“I have another question, Rose.”
She inhaled, knowing it was something she might not want to answer for him to give her a warning. “What’s on your mind?”
“Rose, have you told Will that I’m the father?”
Seven
Guilt swam
ped Rose again for the way she had handled this situation. She shook her head. “No, I haven’t, but I intend to.”
“I’ll tell him,” Tom said firmly, “and let’s not argue about it.”
“I should tell him first and then you can talk to him. I know I should have let him know before now. Nita already knows. She came to see me after you left today.”
“So is some of the old hatred of the Devlins stirring?”
“Never with Nita.”
“I guess Connor told her about the plan to lure the killer, didn’t he?”
“Yes, and she agrees that it’s necessary. She wants to be the decoy, but the only way to get the others to accept Nita would be to announce my pregnancy, and I’m not ready to do that. I don’t mind being the bait. I’ll be safe with so many people guarding me.”
“Rose, I want to talk to your dad soon. In the morning if possible. He needs to know some things.”
“I’ll tell Daddy you’re the father and get it over with,” Rose said. “I might as well do it right now. They’ll be finished supper and he and Jane will just be sitting reading or watching television.”
“I’ll go with you,” Tom said. “Even if I weren’t going to talk to him, I’d accompany you. From now on I’m sticking with you like glue.”
“You don’t have to stay right with me when all I do is cross the drive to go to the main house.”
“Oh, yes, I do. Anytime you step outside this place, I’ll be with you. End of discussion.”
Rose knew there was no point in arguing with him, so she nodded. “You know when you tell Daddy that you want to marry me, he’ll side with you.”
“I don’t know that, but that’s interesting. I’m glad to hear that he’s not going to run me off the place with his shotgun. He has more reason now than before.”
“I’m as responsible for this pregnancy as you. He can’t lay all the blame on you.”
“Laying blame doesn’t matter,” Tom answered. “It’s our future that’s important, not the past.”
“Let me call Nita and tell her we’re coming over. I want to talk to Daddy alone.”
