Hank seemed to guess her intention because he reached over and pressed a silencing finger to her lips. “Don’t.”
“I have to,” she insisted. “I have to say it just once.”
“Lizzy—”
“I love you, Hank. No matter what happens, I want you to remember that. I love you.”
A muscle in his jaw twitched, and his whole body tensed as if she’d slapped him. Eventually, though, he sighed. “I love you, too, darlin’. I truly do.”
“Then we’ll find some way to make this work,” Lizzy promised. “I know we will.”
Hank gave her a rueful smile. “I wish I shared your confidence.”
She forced her brightest grin in an attempt to overcome his doubts—and her own. “You would if you’d been born an Adams. We believe we can make anything happen. That’s Daddy’s grandest legacy to us.”
“So I’ve noticed,” he said dryly. “There are powerful international leaders who aren’t so sure they can sway things to their liking.”
“But you’ve seen it,” she persisted. “You have to know we always get what we want.”
“Sometimes I’ve seen you bend what you want to suit what you get.”
“That’s the pragmatic side of our nature. It comes in handy on those rare occasions when things don’t work out quite the way we anticipated.”
“Turning lemons into lemonade,” Hank suggested.
“Precisely.”
“Well, all I can say is, I hope we’re not about to drown in the stuff.”
“Hank Robbins, you are such a pessimist.”
“I’m a realist, and I’d say one of us needs to be.”
“Realism is depressing,” Lizzy countered. “Want to know what I see for our future?”
Hank grinned. “Sure. Go ahead and entertain me.”
“I see me graduating from medical school. Then I see me serving my internship and my residency.”
“So far, this seems to be all about you. Where am I while you’re making medical history?”
She grinned. “Waiting for me at home like a dutiful husband, maybe getting dinner on the table while I study.”
“You do have a vivid imagination, I’ll give you that. Who’s running my ranch?”
“You are, of course, with Pete’s help. You’re making the decisions and taking care of the long-range planning, buying the cattle for breeding and studying the futures market for beef. Pete’s doing the hands-on work.” She regarded Hank hopefully. “He can handle it. You know he can.”
“He can,” Hank agreed. “But he shouldn’t have to. He’s a foreman. I’d be a lousy owner if I left all the hard work to him.”
“Texas is loaded with rich absentee ranchers.”
“I’m not rich and I have no intention of being an absentee anything.”
“You haven’t even considered the idea,” Lizzy protested. “Couldn’t you at least give it some thought?”
“I don’t have to think about it,” Hank said. “It’s impossible.”
“In other words, if any compromising is going to be done, I’m the one who’s going to have to do it. My career automatically has to take a back seat to yours.”
Hank scowled. “I never said that.”
“You didn’t have to say it.”
“Do you really want to waste what little time we have left arguing about this ridiculous idea of yours?”
“So, now I’m ridiculous?” she practically shouted.
“I didn’t say you were ridiculous, dammit. I said the idea was absurd.”
“It’s the same thing.”
Justin stuck his head into the main cabin. “Hey, you two, do you need a referee back here?”
“No,” they shouted in unison, glaring at each other.
“Well, at least you agree on something,” Justin said, grinning.
“You are not going to practice negotiating domestic disputes on us,” Lizzy muttered.
“Okay, then. Have it your way,” Justin said agreeably. “Call me if you change your mind. By the way, Dad says he’s thinking of circling the airport until the two of you resolve this. Keep in mind that this plane only holds so much fuel.”
“Very amusing,” Lizzy retorted. “Now go away.”
After he’d gone, she drew in a deep breath and faced Hank. He was staring out the window, his expression enigmatic.
“Hank?”
“Yes,” he replied without turning.
“I’m sorry.”
He sighed and faced her. “I’m sorry, too, darlin’.”
“If I come over there, will you kiss me?”
A slow grin spread across his face. “Only if you lock the cockpit door.”
Lizzy was on her feet in a heartbeat. She locked the door, then hurled herself into Hank’s waiting arms, only to have the intercom switch on and Jordan advise them they were making their descent into the Dallas–Fort Worth airport.
“Get back into your seat, Mary Elizabeth, and fasten that seat belt,” her brother said, his voice laced with amusement. “I am not operating a motel room at twenty thousand feet.”
Hank picked up the phone that allowed the passengers to communicate with the pilot. “Too bad, Jordan, because I would pay you a whole lot of money for a couple more uninterrupted hours up here.”
“I don’t want to hear that,” Jordan retorted. “I definitely do not want to hear that.”
Without the benefit of a phone of her own, Lizzy simply raised her voice. “You are such a prude, Jordan.”
“I think my wife might disagree, little sister.”
“And I don’t want to hear about that,” Justin chimed in. “Can’t we just get this plane on the ground, please? Lizzy’s flight’s in an hour, anyway.”
Jordan chuckled. “Happy to oblige, son, but something tells me the odds on her making that flight are not real good.”
Lizzy’s gaze locked with Hank’s. “There is a later flight, you know. I checked before we left home.”
“Jordan’s not going to want to wait around forever,” he said with regret.
Apparently, he’d forgotten to disconnect the phone to the cockpit, because Jordan responded, “That weather system’s moved in behind us. We’re grounded till morning. You’re on your own, Hank. I’m sure you can find a way to spend the time.”
“Yes,” Hank agreed, never taking his gaze from Lizzy’s face, “I imagine I can.”
9
It was morning before Lizzy finally caught a flight back to Miami. Hank watched her board the plane, then turned and walked away. If he’d stayed, there was a very good chance he’d have bought a ticket and gone to Miami with her. That was the kind of impulsive thing Lizzy might do, but not him. He’d always prided himself on being sensible. Somehow, though, when he got around Lizzy, he lost his head.
When he met Jordan an hour later, Lizzy’s brother regarded him sympathetically. “Saying goodbye doesn’t get any easier,” he said. “I tried it with Kelly for a while. I commuted back and forth to Houston, certain that my company headquarters had to be there. She was just as determined never to set foot in that city again. She’d hated it when she’d lived there with her ex-husband and she’d vowed never to go back. All she ever wanted was to live on her family’s ranch in Los Piños.”
It was a sentiment Hank could share, and obviously Jordan saw the connection.
“She turned that ranch around single-handedly,” he said with obvious pride. “Did you know that?”
“I’d heard the story,” Hank said. He studied Jordan’s expression, then asked in a low voice, “Did you ever wish she’d fail?”
Jordan’s eyes widened with surprise. “Is that what you’re hoping for? That Lizzy will fail at med school?”
Hank sighed. “No, not really, not when she has her heart set on it, but it would make things a hell of
a lot easier.”
“Easy’s not always for the best.”
“Another one of those Adams lessons on life?”
“No, just an observation. Daddy’s always gone about making life easy for Lizzy,” he said without rancor. “It’s understandable, her being the youngest and his first girl, if you don’t count Jenny, who was already half-grown when Daddy married her mama. Lizzy needs some challenges. She needs to know she can handle them on her own.”
His expression turned thoughtful. “The same thing was true with all of us, in one way or another. With Luke and Cody and me, Daddy put every obstacle he could in our way to make us fight for what we wanted. It worked. We’re all stronger men because of it. He hasn’t done the same with Lizzy. In her case, I think it’s going to be up to you to show her what she’s made of.”
“And you think I’m up to the challenge?” Hank inquired.
“Oh, I know you are. So does Daddy. But until you’ve figured that out for yourself, what we think doesn’t matter a tinker’s damn.”
Hank laughed despite himself. “One of these days, I’m going to have to ask the women you guys married if the Adams men were worth the trouble they caused.”
“What answer you’ll get probably depends on which day you ask. We’re not always easy, but Harlan Adams set a high standard for all of us. You’ll be getting the best there is, if you can work things out with Lizzy.”
If, Hank thought. For a little, old two-letter word, it had the power to bring a strong man to his knees.
“So, what happened with the hunky rancher?” Kelsey demanded the minute Lizzy reached the small apartment they shared near the University of Miami med-school campus.
Lizzy’s hands stilled on the rumpled clothes she was plucking out of her suitcase. “What makes you think anything happened?”
“Well, if I didn’t know it before, your reaction just now confirmed it.” Kelsey settled down cross-legged in the middle of Lizzy’s bed. “Spill it. Did you see Hank? More importantly, did you sleep with him? Is that why you were a day late getting back, because you couldn’t bear to leave him?”
Lizzy chuckled. “You know, Kelsey, your imagination is entirely too vivid. I think it’s time for you to get a social life of your own. Or maybe to give up medicine and write one of those romance novels you’re always reading in your spare time.”
“No time,” Kelsey replied, waving off the suggestion. “Besides, observing yours is entertainment enough.”
“Sorry. You’re about to be cut off.”
Kelsey blinked. “Cut off? How come? You aren’t moving out, are you?”
“No, of course not. Just putting my social life here on ice.”
“I knew it,” her roommate shouted jubilantly. “You did sleep with him.”
Before Lizzy could reply, the phone rang. Grateful for the interruption, she grabbed it. “Hello.”
“Hey, darlin’, miss me yet?”
“Heavens, no,” she lied. “I’ve barely had time to think, much less miss you.” She caught Kelsey observing her with fascination.
“Hold on a sec, will you?” she asked Hank.
“Sure.”
She scowled at her roommate. “Kelsey, privacy, please.”
“Only if you will swear to fill me in on what went on in Texas,” she said, still not budging from the bed.
“How about if I swear to kill you if you don’t scoot right this second?”
Kelsey grinned. “That works, too.” As she exited the room, she shouted over her shoulder, “Hey, Hank, come see us.”
Lizzy grimaced and picked up the phone. “You heard?”
“Indeed. Who was that?”
“My roommate, who has developed a sudden fascination with cowboys. Think I ought to get her one of her own?”
“Possibly. Is she gorgeous?”
“Do you think I’d tell you if she were?”
“Hmm. I’m picturing five-ten, long blond hair and the face of an angel.”
“And I’m picturing you dead.”
Hank chuckled. “I do love it when you get all possessive on me.”
“Must be a guy thing. Women hate jealous men.”
“Really? Didn’t seem that way when you were kissing up to old Brian at your daddy’s party.”
“That was different.”
“I’d love to hear how.”
“It was necessary, part of a larger plan, so to speak.”
“And the larger plan was to what? Make me declare my intentions?”
“Something like that.”
“So if I mention that I went to Garden City today, that would be okay?”
Lizzy’s heart slowed. “You went where?”
“To Garden City,” he said, his tone all innocence. “Right after Jordan and I got back.”
“I suppose you went to explain why you hadn’t been around for the past week or so.”
“Something like that.”
“Was she forgiving?”
“Always is,” he said.
“Then she’s dumb as a post,” Lizzy countered. “The two of you would never last. You don’t need a quiet, accepting woman in your life. You need one who’s going to rip your heart out if you stray.”
“And that would be you?”
“That would definitely be me,” she agreed.
“I’ll try and remember that.”
“You’d better,” she said in a dire tone. “Exactly how much time did you spend in Garden City, anyway?”
“Long enough.”
“Long enough to do what?” she demanded.
“What I went there for.” He sighed. “Oh, darlin’, I do miss you. I wish you were here right this second.”
“Then that visit to Garden City must not have been nearly as exciting as the flight to Dallas. What would you do if I were right there beside you?”
“Use your imagination.”
“Oh, no. I want you to spell it out for me.”
“Now, on the phone?”
“Yep.” She settled back against the pillows on her bed and let Hank’s low, sexy voice roll over her. It was that voice as much as the wicked suggestions he made that made her pulse race and raised goose bumps.
“No, stop,” she whispered in a choked voice when the torment got to be too much.
“Lizzy? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s just that I didn’t realize how lonely it would make me feel to want you so much and know you’re so far away.”
“Oh, baby, I know. Believe me, I know.”
“Will you call me later?”
“What time? Do you have classes this afternoon?”
“A couple, but I’ll be back here by suppertime. Then I’ll be studying.”
“I’ll call you right before I go to bed, then, to say good-night. Okay?”
At least his would be the last voice she heard before falling asleep, Lizzy thought. It would be almost like having him in bed beside her.
“Later, then,” she said. “I love you.”
Only after she’d put the receiver back in the cradle did she realize that Hank hadn’t said he loved her, too. She’d thought she had opened the door to that on the plane, but maybe Hank had only felt obliged to say the words with her staring him in the face. Maybe he’d never meant them at all.
“No,” she told herself sternly.
She wasn’t going to do this, she vowed. She wasn’t going to succumb to doubts on her very first day away from him. If she couldn’t trust Hank, if she couldn’t believe in their love, then they were doomed and she refused to accept that outcome. They had started something wonderful back in Texas, and she was going to hang on to that with everything she had.
* * *
Hank was feeling restless when he got off the phone. The house seemed empty, even though he could hea
r Mrs. Wyndham bustling around in the kitchen. He had to get out and do something, maybe remind himself why this ranch was so all-fired important to him.
He headed for the barn and saddled his big bay gelding, Uncle Sid, named for a relative of its previous owner who’d apparently been every bit as fractious as the horse. Even now, years later, Uncle Sid danced skittishly as Hank saddled him.
Maybe a hard ride was what he and the horse needed. He could check out some of the downed fence lines Pete had told him about. The foreman suspected they’d been cut through deliberately, possibly by someone hoping the cattle would be put back in that distant pasture and then stray.
It could have been mischief or the first step toward thievery. At the moment, it was a distraction from missing Lizzy, and that was all that mattered.
He urged the horse into a full gallop, hoping the wind would chase away the erotic images he’d meant to stir only for Lizzy. Unfortunately, the game had backfired. It had left him hot and aching, as well.
He hadn’t stopped to consider how late in the day it was. Dusk began to fall as he reached the distant fence. He slowed his horse over the uneven terrain. Uncle Sid whinnied nervously.
“It’s okay, fella. There’s nobody around but us.”
Uncle Sid seemed to disagree, fighting the bit in his mouth. It had been a long time since the old bay had acted up this way. Hank gazed through the gathering darkness, searching for movement in the shadows, but seeing nothing. Even so, he was glad he’d thought to bring his gun along.
As he neared the fence line, he spotted the downed barbed wire and broken posts. One could have been split by lightning, but a whole row of them? Not likely. He was about to climb down for a closer look when Uncle Sid turned skittish and danced away from the fence.
At a whizzing sound, the horse shied. Hank clung to the saddle horn, but there was no soothing the frightened animal. Uncle Sid bucked and bolted, heaving the unsuspecting Hank into the air. One foot caught in the stirrup as he fell. He hit the ground with a jarring thud, only to be dragged within inches of pounding hooves as Uncle Sid raced back toward home.
He managed one hoarse shout, but the horse was beyond hearing. Then Hank bounced hard. His head hit something, most likely a rock or fallen tree limb, and the world went black.
White Pines Summer Page 29
