Sunrise Vows

by Carla Cassidy

  Belinda stood. “Then I think I’ll take a little walk, try to exercise off some of my lunch.” She waved a quick goodbye, then escaped out the back door.

  Spring and summer had brought love to Colette and Abby, and their newlywed status still shone on their faces. While Belinda was thrilled that her sisters had found love, their happiness sharpened Belinda’s feeling of aloneness. And now autumn was in the air, but Belinda knew the change of season would bring no life changes for her.

  She buttoned her cardigan against the chill in the air and breathed deeply of the sharp, sweet scents of home. Late-blooming flowers scented the air and combined with the fragrance of soil and sun.

  Relative silence filled the air. No workers bustled about, mending fences or herding horses and cattle. Because of financial constraints, the Connors were down to a skeleton crew; five hired men doing the work of dozens.

  Roger Eaton, one of the few workers who’d remained at the ranch since spring, waved to her as he exited the barn. She waved back and continued walking toward the large tree that stood on a small rise in the distance.

  The dragon tree. It blazed in glorious autumn colors, the fall foliage shaped like a mythical firebreathing dragon. She always felt safe beneath the shade of the dragon tree. The large oak, scarred by a long-ago lightning strike, battered by winter winds and outlasting summer droughts, had endured unbowed for as long as Belinda could remember.

  Beneath this tree the three sisters had mourned the deaths of their parents, and beneath its loving branches both of her sisters had exchanged their wedding vows.

  She’d always associated her family with the tree. Survivors in a land that could sometimes be harsh. But surviving was becoming more difficult.

  She frowned, deciding she was too restless to sit. Instead she walked away from the tree, in the direction of the old Walker place.

  Derek was back. The words reverberated in her head, creating a wistful ache and a burning resentment that went right to her soul. Why was he back? What possible reason did he have for returning after three long years away?

  The house where he once had lived with his parents was gone, only the stone chimney stood like a lone sentinel to guard the ashes of ruin and the concrete foundation that remained.

  Weeds grew waist-high, mingling with wildflowers that dotted the landscape with fragrant beauty. A grove of trees to the left of where the house once stood beckoned to Belinda, but she ignored the lure of bittersweet memories.

  She sank down onto the concrete foundation. It hadbeen there, on a starlit night amid the sweet-smelling grass beneath the trees that she and Derek had first made love. There that she had pledged her love to him and promised him forever. He’d promised the same. Lies. All lies.

  “Hello, Belinda.”

  She jumped with a gasp as a tall figure stepped out of the shadows of the trees. “Derek!” Shock rippled through her. She wasn’t ready for this, wasn’t prepared to see him again, and yet her eyes drank in his presence as he stepped into the sunshine.

  He’s changed, she thought. Although, the changes weren’t dramatic, nothing she could specifically put her finger on. His hair was still colored with the kiss of the sun and his features were still the same cleancut, well-defined ones that had made him a heartthrob in high school. Golden Boy. That’s what all the girls had called him behind his back. He’d been a star athlete, liked by his male friends, lusted after by the females at school.

  But his eyes were different now. Darker. Lacking the warmth and humor they had once retained.

  As he advanced toward her, she noticed he had a slight limp, although the limp did nothing to dispel his utter masculinity.

  His chambray shirt hugged the width of his shoulders and his jeans rode low on slender hips. He looked much the same as he had the last time she’d seen him. Except for the hardness in his gaze.

  “I—I heard you were back in town.” She finally found her voice.

  “And so I am.”

  “Going to be here long?” she asked.

  He kicked at a charred piece of wood. “I’m rebuilding the house. I plan to make my home here.”

  His words once again sent shock riveting through her. Even though Janice had told her he was back in town, she’d never anticipated that he intended to stay, to make a permanent home here.

  “So, how have you been, Belinda?” He stepped closer to her, bringing with him an evocative scent of musky cologne and maleness.

  What do you care? You promised to love me forever, then disappeared out of my life without a backward glance. She swallowed against the old resentment and flashed him a bright smile. “Good. Great, actually.”

  His gaze remained on her, dark and probing. “I heard your sisters got married.”

  She nodded. What she wanted to do was run away, distance herself from him and all the memories that suffused her. But she refused to show him how his presence affected her, that she bore any scars at all from their brief and passionate affair.

  “What about you? Any marriage plans in your near future?”

  She forced a laugh. “Heavens, no. I’m having too much fun to tie myself down to anyone right now.” She didn’t tell him there were no marriage plans in her distant future, either. She wouldn’t trust in love again. Never again. Not ever.

  What she’d shared with Derek had been so intense, and had resulted in a loss too enormous. A loss she’d suffered alone. Not even her sisters had known the enormous penalty she’d paid for loving Derek.

  “You look good, Belinda. Just as I remembered you.” He took a step closer to her and she backed away, afraid he might touch her, afraid he’d manage to somehow pierce through the veil of anger and resentment that protected her heart.

  She wrapped her arms around herself. “I heard you’ve been quite successful since leaving here.”

  He eased himself down onto the foundation where she had been sitting when he’d first appeared. “Yes, I’ve managed to amass what some would refer to as a small fortune. It seems I have what appears to be a remarkable aptitude for playing the stock market. I started with some of the money Mom and Dad got from the insurance settlement on the fire here. Before long my investments doubled, then tripled.” He shrugged. “I got lucky.”

  “You could choose to live anywhere. Why come back here?”

  He looked up at her, his eyes shining with a fierce determination, a whisper of dangerous anger that nearly stole her breath away. “There are two reasons why I’ve come back here, Belinda. Three years ago somebody set fire to my house. It was a deliberate act and it destroyed my home, my parents’ lives and my life. I’m here to find out who did it and why.”

  Belinda gasped. “I never knew the fire was deliberately set. Are you sure it wasn’t just an accident?”

  He hesitated a moment, a pulse throbbing at his temple. “I can’t be sure until I check the records, but it’s something I have to follow up on.”

  “How are you going to find out who might have done it after all this time?” Belinda asked.

  Some of the anger in his gaze dissipated. “I don’t know.”

  “Sounds like a fool’s errand to me. It’s been three years. You can’t know for sure somebody really did it on purpose. Besides, why on earth would somebody do such a thing?”

  “That’s what I’m here to find out.”

  “You should just forget about it, get on with your life. It’s best just to forget the past and move on.” She averted her gaze from his, sounding stronger than she felt.

  “Is that what you’ve done?” he asked softly.

  For a moment his question hung in the air, filling her heart with powerful emotions and the heartache of years gone by.

  She met his gaze once again, this time raising her chin with a touch of bravado. “That’s definitely what I’ve done.”

  He stood and took a step toward her. Once again his familiar scent wrapped around her, reminding her of good times…and that horrible time that followed. “That’s too bad,” he said softly
. “You haven’t asked me what the second thing is that I came back for.”

  “And what is that?”

  He stared at her for another long moment before answering. “You.”

  Chapter Two

  “Me?” She stared at him in shocked surprise. “It appears you’ve come back on two fool’s errands,” she said coldly.

  He eyed her speculatively. “I understand you and your sisters are about to lose your ranch, that you’re interested in acquiring some investors. You need money and I need a temporary wife.”

  “What are you talking about? Why do you need a temporary wife?”

  He leaned against a tree trunk and folded his arms across his chest. His eyes were dark, shuttered against any invasion. “You remember my older brother, Mike?” She nodded and he continued. “Two months ago he and his wife were killed in a car accident. I’ve petitioned the courts for custody of their two children, but it seems the judge is rather old-fashioned and thinks I should be married. I need a wife and you need money.”

  “That’s crazy,” Belinda exclaimed, her heart thudding a wild rhythm. “You can’t buy me.”

  “I don’t want to buy you. I just want to buy some of your time.” Once again his eyes were cold and distant as he gazed at her. “Don’t make the mistake of thinking this would be a marriage of passion or of love. Rather it would simply be a marriage of convenience. Once my adoption of the kids is finalized, you’d be free to go your own way.”

  “Why me? I’m sure there are dozens of women who would be thrilled to be married to you.”

  “Because I have something you need, and somebody else might expect some kind of emotional investment. This would be strictly a business merger, without our emotions involved.”

  “And in return?” Belinda couldn’t believe how coldly he outlined his plans for a marriage.

  “I’ll invest whatever you think necessary to allow you to keep your ranch running.”

  “I still don’t understand why me. There are women who’d marry you for cold, hard cash and sign an agreement to divorce you later.”

  “I’m aware of that,” he said easily. “But I know you. I trust you. And I know you’re an honorable woman and will abide by the terms.” He held up a hand as she started to speak. “Think about it. You don’t have to give me an answer right now. Just think about it. Belinda, we need each other.”

  “There’s nothing to think about,” she retorted. She’d needed him three years ago and he’d been nowhere to be found. He’d left Cheyenne and never looked back, leaving her to deal with the casualty of their summer affair and her love for him. “I’ve got to get back home.” She turned to leave, but hesitated when he called after her.

  “I won’t give up easily.”

  She didn’t answer, but continued on her way. Too many emotions assaulted her, overloading her brain and making rational thought nearly impossible.

  Memories of the past battled with realities of the present. Once upon a time she would have rejoiced at Derek’s talk of marriage. But this was no fairy tale, and the love she’d once felt for Derek had transformed to a bitter anger.

  Besides, he hadn’t talked of love or passion. His offer was strictly based in a need for a wife, and a cold detachment had shone from his eyes.

  She loved her sisters, loved the ranch. But there had to be another way to save it. A marriage of convenience to Derek was an absurd idea. No matter how desperate she was to help save the ranch, her heart could never countenance such a thing.

  DEREK WATCHED HER walk away, the afternoon sunshine flirting with the golden braid that hung down her back. For three years her features had remained etched in his mind, taunting him with the memory of her wholesome beauty, reminding him of love found, then lost.

  He wondered if she’d seen the lies in his eyes, recognized the subterfuge hidden there. He hadn’t lied about one thing: what he’d offered her had nothing to do with love. He’d never risk his heart again. In the past three years he’d learned to believe in the power of money, and discount the longevity of love.

  He turned at the sound of a pickup approaching, a smile curving his lips as he recognized the beat-up vehicle that pulled to a stop by the house foundation. The big, burly man who got out of the truck looked exactly like he had in high school and college. He and Derek had grown up together and had been best friends.

  “Bear, you old coot. You haven’t changed a bit since last time I saw you,” Derek exclaimed as he clapped his friend on the back.

  Teddy King, nicknamed Bear for his build, grinned at Derek. Although the two had talked often on the phone over the past three years, they hadn’t seen each other since the night before the fire that destroyed Derek’s home.

  Bear wrapped him in a hug that nearly squeezed the breath from him. “God, Derek, I’m so damned glad to have you back in town. My men should be arriving soon, but I wanted a few minutes by myself with you before we start to work.”

  Bear owned a construction company and Derek had hired his old friend to rebuild the house. “It’s good to be back,” Derek said. Surveying the area that had once been his home, he leaned against a tree trunk. “You still think you can get the house up in a couple of weeks?”

  “Weather permitting and as long as you’re willing to pay for overtime, yes.”

  Derek nodded in satisfaction.

  Bear put the tailgate of his truck down and motioned for Derek to join him. “So, how’s it feel to be back?” he asked.

  Derek sat next to Bear, flashing him a grin as the big man opened a cooler and withdrew two colas. “Thanks.” He popped the top and took a deep swallow. “It feels good.” He took another drink and for a moment silence grew between the two men. “I have nightmares about the fire.” Derek broke the silence, remembering that night of hell when he’d awakened to find fire surrounding him. “I wake up drenched in sweat, fighting the fire in my dreams. I’ve been told the best way to exorcise monsters is to face them. So, here I am.” But it hadn’t been the memory of the fire that had brought him back. He frowned, realizing he was building a pyramid of lie upon lie.

  “I just hope you get a chance to face the son-ofa-bitch that set the fire,” Bear said.

  “I plan to talk to Junior tomorrow, see if I can get all the old records from the initial investigation,” Derek said, referring to the sheriff. “I talked to Belinda.”

  Bear raised his bushy eyebrows. “And?”

  “And let’s say she didn’t exactly pounce on my offer.” Derek had told Bear that he intended to propose to Belinda in an effort to gain custody of his niece and nephew. Until Derek sniffed around, discovered exactly what was going on, he didn’t intend to tell anyone, even his best friend, what had really prompted him back here to Belinda.

  “You didn’t really expect her to fall to her knees in gratitude, did you?” Bear asked wryly. “You told me you wrote her a pretty cold kiss-off note after the fire.”

  Derek steeled himself against any remorse that might creep into his thoughts. “It was for the best. At the time I wasn’t sure I was going to live, wasn’t sure I wouldn’t be a cripple the rest of my life. I’d rather have her hatred than her pity.” For a moment his mind flashed with an image of he and Belinda making love, of her hands stroking him with loving caresses as she told him he was the most beautiful man she’d ever dreamed of knowing.

  “Yeah, but if you need a wife, I’d think a woman who doesn’t hate you would be a little better bet,” Bear said.

  “Her hatred of me is exactly what makes her perfect for what I want. I need a temporary wife, one who can pretend in public, but who has no desire to make the facade a reality. When you told me the Connors were having a tough time hanging on to their ranch, it presented the perfect opportunity for me to get what I want, and give Belinda what she needs.”

  Bear shook his head with a rueful smile. “I still think that fire melted some of your brain cells, but I’m not the one you have to convince. Belinda is.”

  Derek nodded. “I know.” He
turned at the sound of approaching trucks. As Bear’s team of workers began to arrive, Derek clapped him on the back once again. “You do your job and build me a house in record time and leave Belinda to me.”

  Bear grinned. “Don’t worry. I’m not about to interfere with your love life. You always did have all the luck with the ladies.”

  As Bear went to greet his men, Derek finished his cola and clenched his fist to crush the can. Yeah, he’d always had plenty of luck with the ladies, he thought bitterly. Unfortunately the flames that had destroyed his home so many years before had also obliterated his capacity to love…to be loved.

  There were only two people on earth he cared about. His four-year-old nephew and five-year-old niece, who resided in a foster home awaiting Uncle Derek to rescue them and bring them to his house to live with him.

  He’d received the first anonymous note about Belinda on the same day he’d met with the judge presiding over the custody hearing. When the judge had asked him about his marital status, Derek had known the children’s fate hinged on his reply. He’d told the judge he was to be married to Belinda within the month and would have a stable, two-parent environment for the kids. It had been a foolish thing to say, but now his fate was intricately bound to her with a web of lies.

  He couldn’t tell Belinda the other reason he was here, didn’t want to needlessly frighten her. He didn’t want to tell her that he thought her life was in danger and he had returned here to find out who might want her dead.

  He pushed off of the tailgate, his mind racing with possibilities. He had no idea who to suspect, what the motive might be. He only knew that for some reason the potential killer wanted him back here, wanted him to play a role in whatever deadly game was about to unfold. He intended to marry Belinda, keep her safe until he found out what the hell was going on. Marriage would give him a reason to be close to her every minute of every day. He had to convince her to marry him…her very life might depend on it.

  BELINDA STA in her car, reluctant to enter the community center where merriment spilled out the door with each person that went in. The rest of her family had left earlier to come to the Harvest Moon Dance, but Belinda had decided to drive herself. She wanted to be able to leave whenever she was ready without pulling her family away from the festivities.