The Rancher Wore Suits

by Rita Herron

  She climbed into Nellie and dropped her head forward against the steering wheel, struggling to contain the tears.

  Now she might lose her job, too. The hospital funding…dear God, they couldn’t lose that money. She’d promised the children, the parents. Ashley was already scheduled for surgery the next day….

  The car door on the passenger side opened and she clenched her hands around the steering wheel, knowing it was Dex…no, Tyler.

  “Jessica, you have to listen, please—”

  She raised her head and glared at him, shutting off his words. “Is it true?”

  “I…” The agony in his face was intense, but she steeled herself against it. She couldn’t feel sorry for this stranger, not after he’d deceived her. “Yes, I’m Ty Cooper. Dex’s twin brother.”

  Hearing him actually admit to his lies sent a numbing pain through her.

  On the heels of pain rode anger. She’d been such a fool. How had she not known? Bits and pieces of the last two weeks flashed through her mind like a trailer from a movie.

  Dex…no Ty walking past her at the airport as if he didn’t recognize her. Disagreeing with his grandfather and agreeing to fund the children’s wing. Helping to build the playground. Organizing the backyard barbecue. Riding a horse so well. Insisting she deliver the baby instead of jumping in to do it himself.

  She’d thought he seemed like a totally different man after he’d returned from Chicago.

  Because he was!

  Good heavens, she’d been an idiot.

  “Jessica, I never meant to hurt you.” The deep husky resonance of his voice tore at her. “I promise you the funding for the center will go through.”

  “How can you say that?” she asked, her voice a pained whisper.

  “Because I’ll talk to Dex. I don’t back down on my word—”

  “Your word?” Jessica fought the urge to hit him. “You lied to me, you’ve been using me, and now you expect me to believe your word means something.” She pressed a hand to her stomach. “I…I trusted you…”

  He reached for her, but she backed away, battling the tears streaming down her face. “Jessica, please forgive me. I’ll make it right, I swear I will. I may have let you think I was Dex, but I was hurting, too. I had to find out why our families had done this to us.” He hesitated, panic tightening his voice. “All the things I said to you were true, the way I feel about you, I love you—”

  “You don’t know what love is,’ Jessica bit out. “You don’t lie to the people you love.”

  “But I do love you,” he said. “I want to marry you.”

  “Marry me?” Jessica hissed. “I don’t even know you.” She threw her hands in the air. “I thought you were Dex. And now I find out you’re some stranger named Ty Cooper who lives in Montana.”

  Hurt momentarily darted across his features, but his voice was quiet when he spoke. “You do know me, Jess. Everything that happened between us was real.” He pulled her hand into his, clutching it when she tried to pull away. “That was Ty Cooper at the board meeting who offered the money for the children’s wing. I built the playground equipment and put on that barbecue. I made love to you.”

  Jessica wavered, theiction in his voice even more confusing. “Jess, I do love you, and I want us to get married. I know you’ve never seen my ranch, and your home is here in Atlanta, but I really think you’ll like the Circle C. We’ve got acres of land to farm and ride, and a stream. The Coopers are all about family and building a legacy to keep the ranch. You’ll love them, and they’ll love you. And we’ll take Sundance to the ranch, and we can take long rides at night together, sneak away to be alone.”

  She glared at him, the memory of the day before burning through her brain.

  He continued, his arguments gaining momentum as if he really meant them. He patted the dashboard. “We’ll even take Nellie with us. You can work at the local hospital there or open a practice if you want, and we can have kids. Lots of babies to love and take care of. My grandmother Cooper, she crochets an afghan for each new grandbaby. And our kids will love ranch life, with all the animals and ponies. And I do wood-carving. I can make our kids a rocking pony and a cradle.”

  Jessica’s heart squeezed, the pain like a knife twisting inside her. Oh God, he wanted her and kids, and he’d even take Nellie.

  “I have two brothers, and they’re both married. One has a little girl named Angelica, who’s a holy terror but we love her anyway, and my other one has twin boys.”

  “I have to go, De…Ty.” She pulled her hand away, her ears ringing with his promises and the hope she heard in his words. His hopes for children, for a legacy. “I can’t marry you.”

  “Jess—”

  “No.” She forced herself to meet his gaze. “I trusted you, and you made a fool out of me. I can never forgive that.” She turned away, her jaw tight. “Besides,” she said, knowing she had to say something to nail the coffin of their relationship shut, “I couldn’t stand to leave the city and live on a ranch. The medical facilities wouldn’t be up to par. Just let me know about the funding.” Her voice almost broke, but she willed herself to remain cool. At least until she could get out of his sight. “Don’t look so shocked. Dex would know that our relationship was all about business. Now, please get out of the car so I can leave.”

  The tension in the car seemed to go on for an eternity as he studied her, the light that she’d seen in his eyes when they’d been together flickering, then dying. Finally he opened the car door and climbed out. Jessica bit down on her lip, shifted Nellie into gear and drove away, forcing herself not to look back.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Pain was crushing Ty’s rib cage so tightly he felt as if his chest had sunk in. Had Jessica really meant what she’d said—that she couldn’t live on a ranch? Had she only slept with him to secure the money for the center?

  No, he couldn’t believe that. That would mean he’d turned into a true cynical Montgomery, and Ty had too much Cooper blood in him to become so jaded. Besides, he knew Jessica…didn’t he?

  He drove toward the office, his throat thick with fear and regt and hurt. He really did love Jessica, he realized. It wasn’t just an infatuation. He couldn’t stand the thought of losing her.

  He also couldn’t stand the way his grandfather had looked at him. As if he was some low-down conniving thief.

  Now, he’d lost any chance of making friends with him.

  Why couldn’t his grandfather see that he had never wanted the Montgomery money except to help Jessica?

  But he’d ruined it all.

  There was nothing left to do now but go home, lick his wounds and pray the Coopers didn’t hold hard feelings about the twin switch. Maybe he could get to know Dex better.

  He had to talk to Dex first though, tell him what happened, and convince him to let the funding Ty had promised for the center go through. He swung by the office to pick up the files, knowing he had to have the details in hand to persuade Dex.

  Then he’d go by the house, say good-bye to George, reassure Jessica the money would be provided for the center, and head back to Montana.

  A few minutes later, he stared at the computer screen in confusion. Apparently money had been lifted from the two B & B accounts several times over the past year. In fact, two checks for sizable amounts had been made out to Bridget recently. Did Bridget pay herself out of these accounts?

  Dex had said he would look into it. He’d have to ask him when he talked to him.

  The bad feeling he had that morning intensified when he heard Bridget’s voice outside the hall, then his grandfather’s. Their heated voices escalated, a door slammed, and he realized the two of them had gone into his grandfather’s office for a closed consultation.

  About him, he was sure. They were probably calling lawyers now, planning their strategy to legally bar him from the Montgomery fortune.

  He should tell them not to bother. He didn’t want their money, and never had.

  But he did want Jessica t
o have her funding.

  His stomach moaned in protest just as the phone rang. He hoped it was Jessica, that she’d changed her mind and wanted to talk to him.

  But his brother’s familiar voice echoed over the line. “Ty, it’s me, Dex.”

  Ty closed his eyes. Might as well find out how things were with the Coopers before he confessed he’d blown their cover. “Hey, what’s going on there?”

  “I’m afraid Pa Cooper had a heart attack.”

  Ty jerked his eyes open, his heart pounding. “How—”

  “He’s all right,” Dex assured him. “We got him to the hospital and he’s in stable condition.”

  Ty felt dizzy. His grandfather was ill and needed him. The Coopers would all be there together, worried and scared, while he was here… “Are you sure—” he had to stop to clear his throat “—he’s all right?”

  Dex explained that he’d given him CPR and that the attack had been mild, that he would ne for a while, that his grandmother had been strong, that all the family had gathered for support, even his niece and nephews. Anguish rolled inside Ty like a tidal wave. He wanted to be home with his family, comforting his grandmother and his brothers, reassuring Pa Cooper he would handle the ranch until he got back on his feet.

  Dear God, what if his grandfather hadn’t survived?

  He had to fly home and make sure his Grandfather Cooper didn’t overdo it when he was released. Not that Dex wouldn’t take care of him…

  The full realization of what had happened hit him.

  Thank God Dex had been there. That he’d been a doctor.

  Ty stood. He had to leave as soon as possible. He had to thank his twin brother in person. To tell him that no matter what the Montgomerys thought, that even if they didn’t want Ty, that Dex would have a place in the Cooper family. Forever. “I’ll be on the next flight out.”

  “I figured you would.” Dex paused. “But we need to straighten some things out first.”

  “I know. All hell broke out here today. I was getting ready to call you.”

  “What happened?”

  Ty sighed. God, he was tired. “Bridget figured out I wasn’t you. She announced it in front of the hospital board, including the Montgomerys.”

  “Damn.”

  “Grandfather Montgomery didn’t take it well. He thinks I came here to steal his money.” Ty gripped the phone with white knuckles. “And he wanted to know what I’d done with you.”

  Dex hissed. “Where is he now?”

  “In a closed meeting with Bridget. They’re probably trying to figure out how to protect themselves from me right now.”

  “I’ll talk to him,” Dex said. “And Bridget, too.”

  “There’s something else we have to settle.” Ty explained about the children’s center, about how much the center meant to Jessica and told him about some of the children.

  “We’ll fund the center,” Dex said without hesitation. “I don’t care what Grandfather said, you’re part Montgomery, just like I’m part Cooper. I’ll make good on whatever you promised the hospital.”

  “Thanks, man.” The weight of one boulder lifted from Ty’s chest. Ty knew he was going to like his brother. Although they had lost valuable years, they would make up for lost time.

  “Did I hear a hint of something personal between you and this Dr. Stovall?”

  “Yeah, but nothing can come of it.” He silently vowed to call the hospital as soon as he hung up and tell them if they wanted the money they couldn’t fire Jessica.

  “Sorry, man.” Dex hesitated. “But listen, there’s something else,” Dex said in a low voice. “The company you met with in Chicago turned your proposal down. But I have an idea.”

  “I’ already got a plan,” Ty said. “In Mom’s letters, she talked about raising leaner—”

  “—beef,” Dex finished. “We’ll need more land—”

  “—and I’ll have to invest in different feed—”

  “The Watley ranch will be perfect,” Dex said. “We can lease the rest of the grazing land, and it’ll benefit the Watleys.”

  Ty paused. Had Dex said we?

  And they had been finishing each other’s sentences. Was that a twin thing?

  “You said we’ll need more land. Are you planning to stay there?” Ty asked.

  Dex hesitated this time. “Not permanently. But I’ll provide the money.”

  “I don’t want Montgomery money,” Ty said tightly.

  “Listen, Ty, I don’t give a damn what my grandfather said. We’re brothers and if I want to be partners with you, that’s my choice. The Coopers are my family, too.”

  Ty didn’t know what to say.

  “We can discuss it some more when you get here,” Dex said. “Now, let me speak to Grandfather. Get him and Bridget in there and put him on speaker phone.”

  Ty buzzed his grandfather and waited, his stomach knotting when he walked in with Bridget.

  “What the hell do you want?”

  “Dex is on the phone.”

  “Dex! Is that you, son?”

  “Yes,” Dex finally replied, “I’m here.”

  “What the Sam Hill is going on there?” the old man demanded. “I don’t know what kind of nonsense those people have put in your head, but I want you in Atlanta ASAP!”

  “You have two options, Grandfather,” Dex said, fury in his voice, “You may—”

  “Dex,” Bridget cut in sharply. “I cannot believe you’re talking to your grandfather in such a manner. What has happened to you? Did you really agree to let this man pose as you?”

  “Bridget—”

  “Dex, darling,” she purred. “How could you do this to us?”

  “I haven’t done anything yet,” Dex said flatly.

  “Please, Dex,” Bridget hissed, “you must admit this whole sham is incredibly bizarre. Perhaps you need—”

  “Bridget,” Dex interrupted smoothly. “I found the personal accounts you set up for yourself and the checks you wrote from those B&B accounts. You’ve been skimming large chunks of money for months and we were too blind to see it.”

  “What…” Bridget sputtered, her face paling.

  “You can’t deny it,” Dex said. “I saw the figuresou’re fired. Consider the money you stole your severance pay.”

  Ty barely contained a laugh at the stunned reaction on Bridget’s face.

  “This is all his fault.” Bridget glared at Ty. “If he hadn’t come here, we would have ended up together, Dex.”

  “Not on your life,” Dex replied flatly. “Now get out.”

  Bridget stalked off, slamming the door behind her.

  “I’m sorry, Dex, I—”

  “Don’t apologize, Ty. If you hadn’t questioned those accounts, she might have taken money for years without us knowing it. Do you hear that, Grandfather? Ty saved us from being robbed.”

  “Only because he wants more for himself,” his grandfather began. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, son, but I’m warning you—”

  “No, Grandfather,” Dex objected. “I’m warning you. On Saturday, if Pa Cooper is doing as well as expected, we’re going to be having the mother of all barbecues at the Circle C.”

  “I’ll be there,” Ty said.

  “By Saturday, if you’re not back in Atlanta—”

  Dex cut his grandfather off again. “If you want me back in your life, you will accept Ty and the rest of the Coopers as family. This ridiculous family feud has gone on long enough. It’s all or nothing, Grandfather. No compromises…no negotiations.”

  “How dare you give me such an ultimatum!”

  “If you’re interested in remaining a part of my family,” Dex informed him, “you’ll be there on Saturday. Think about it this time…how much are you willing to lose before you realize that life is too short?”

  Dex didn’t give his grandfather time to argue further; he disconnected.

  Grandfather Montgomery glared at Ty, then strode out the door in a fury.

  Ty’s chest still ach
ed. Love for the Coopers, fear for his Grandfather Cooper, affection for his new-found brother and grandmother…hurt with his Grandfather Montgomery. Anguish over losing Jessica.

  It had been a stupid idea to come here. Grandfather Montgomery would never welcome him into the family or accept the fact that his mother had sincerely loved his father.

  Just as Jessica would never believe that he really loved her.

  He had to get home to see that Pa Cooper was okay for himself. Had to get home to the ranch where he belonged, where he could forget the pain of being rejected by the Montgomerys.

  And Jessica.

  He should never have let himself get involved with her.

  Still, he reached for the phone to call the hospital and make sure she kept her job.

  AFTER SHE’D LEFT Dex—no, Ty—Jessica had ten Sundance out for a long ride. She’d thought it would make her feel better, that the fresh air and time with the horse would free her mind.

  It hadn’t worked.

  Instead, she’d worried about her job.

  And she’d remembered last night, when Ty had joined her in the field, when they’d made love by the lake, when they’d delivered Gwen’s baby. He’d been passionate and tender and loving.

  She should have known then the man was an impostor.

  But she’d been so wrapped up in the romance and the passion that soared out of control every time she laid eyes on the man, she’d been oblivious to his lies.

  Never again.

  Brushing away more tears, she dragged the box of baby items out to her car. In the morning, she would take them to the hospital. Pausing by Nellie’s trunk, she lifted the little yellow teddy bear and pressed it to her chest. Tears spilled past her lashes, the anguish of betrayal almost as sharp as the physical pain she’d felt when she’d lost her child. Ty’s words tumbled through her mind, his vow of love even more agonizing than his deceit.

  He’d claimed he wanted her to move to Montana with him. The smaller hospital wasn’t important; she could work anywhere. But he wanted to have a family, raise babies…all the things she wanted but couldn’t have. At least not in the normal way. He’d begged her to trust him, and she almost had, had almost told him her secret.