Brazen (20 page)

"It already has," he answered tightly.

Michael had been standing back, watching all that transpired. He hadn't seen his father smile in weeks, and he
was jarred by the strong emotions that this one smile
roused in him.

"Casey," Michael began. "Thank you."

"I'm glad it works for him," Casey said.

"So am I." He was impressed by her thoughtfulness, and
he truly was grateful, too.

Jack was satisfied with the way things had turned out.
He looked at Casey. "You about ready to go?"

"Yes, Pa."

"Would you like to stay and visit for a while?" Elizabeth
invited.

"Another time," Jack answered. He had a feeling Frank
needed some time alone right now.

"All right." Elizabeth went to Cassandra and gave her a
heartfelt hug. "This is the best gift we've ever received.
Thank you."

Casey hugged her back. "You're welcome."

Michael walked with Casey down to the buckboard.
He stood there with her as she climbed up on her own
to take her seat.

"Can you meet me at the river later?" he asked her quietly. He wanted to have a chance to talk to her privately
and to thank her.

She was surprised by his invitation and almost asked
him if she'd be spared a dunking if she showed up at the
river, but she could tell he was quite serious this time.
"Yes. What time?"

"Is six good?"

"I'll be there."

"See you then."

Michael backed away from the buckboard as her father
climbed up beside her and took up the reins.

Elizabeth stood beside Frank, and together they
watched the Turners drive away. Michael came back up
to join them on the porch, studying the wheelchair with
interest.

"I had no idea Casey would do anything like this."

"I think Cassandra is a very special young woman."

"You're right," Frank agreed in a choked voice. "She
is.

"Do you want me to push you back inside?" Michael
offered.

Frank looked at his son, his eyes bright. "No. Just hold
the door. I'm going to do this myself."

And he did.

"That was a good idea you had, Casey," Jack said quietly
on the ride back to the Bar T. "Very good."

"I'm glad Frank liked it. I'll have to let Pete know how
everything turned out."

"Did I hear you say you were going to see Michael
later?"

"Yes. He wants me to meet him down by the river at
six o'clock."

"Do you want someone to ride along with you?"

"No, I'll be all right."

"Are you sure?"

"He's my fiance."

"I know."

"Are you worrying about my honor, Pa?" Casey grinned
at him. "You didn't worry the other night when I went to
dinner with him at the Circle D."

"That was dinner with his parents close by. This is the
two of you meeting down by the river alone."

"Well, there's nothing for you to worry about. Remember, this is Michael Donovan we're talking about. My
honor is safe with him."

Jack looked at her adoringly. She was his whole world,
and he wanted her to be happy. "I know, but you're still
my daughter."

"I love you, Pa," Casey told him simply.

"I love you, too."

Tender emotion filled Jack. His love for her was allencompassing. He only hoped that in the future she could
find it in her heart to forgive him for not telling her the
full truth about the state of his health.

There's at least three more hours of daylight. Why did
we quit early?" Nick asked Michael as they rode back to
the ranch house later that afternoon.

"I'm meeting Casey at six, and I wanted to have time
to get cleaned up."

"Where are you meeting her?"

"Our usual place," he said, giving Nick a sidelong
glance.

"The river?"

"Exactly."

"You know, you could have gone down to the river and
washed up there. It wouldn't have been anything new if
she'd found you that way," Nick taunted with a grin.

Thanks for the idea, but I think it's safer for me to take
a bath at home."

"You're probably right."

They both laughed as they continued on toward home.

Casey rode out to the rendezvous spot and found Michael
already there, waiting for her. He was sitting high up on
the bank, watching her.

"Are you staying this far back from the water because
you don't trust me?" she asked with a smile as she dismounted and tied up her horse.

"You could say that," Michael answered with an easy
grin. Getting to his feet, he walked toward her. "I'm glad
you came."

"I am, too."

Casey watched Michael coming her way, and for the
first time she saw him as Michael Donovan, the manot Michael Donovan, her adversary.

It made a difference.

Now she noticed how handsome he truly was with his
chiseled features and dark good looks. She noticed, too,
how he moved with a powerful, easy grace. His shoulders
seemed wider, and as he stopped before her, she realized
he towered over her. Casey lifted her gaze to his and
found herself mesmerized by his dark-eyed regard. The
look in his eyes was gentle and kind.

"Casey," Michael began, "you surprised me today, and
that doesn't happen very often."

"Is that good or bad?" she asked cautiously, not quite
sure what he was talking about.

"This time it was good," he explained. "Your gift to my
father I wanted to let you know what it meant to him."

"So he really likes it?"

"Oh, yes. He's very grateful to you. We all are."

Casey smiled and relaxed. "I'm just glad it worked."

"He's thrilled to be able to get around the house again."

"Good."

"I have to admit," Michael began almost apologetically,
"I hadn't expected you to be so thoughtful."

"I felt sorry for your mother. She's been so nice to me,
and when she told me what a bad time your father was
having, I wanted to find a way to help."

"You did."

"I'm glad." Casey's smile turned wry. "But to tell you
the truth, I was a little afraid you might be irritated with
me."

"Why?"

"Well, building a wheelchair isn't exactly girl's work."

"Casey, it was a gift from your heart. That is all that
mattered."

Michael looked down at her, ignoring the boyish way
she was dressed, seeing only her bright eyes and sweet
expression. He finally admitted to himself that she really
was a pretty girl and that she might even be beautiful.

"Really?"

"Yes. Thank you," Michael said the last softly and seriously as his gaze dropped to her lips. He felt the need to
kiss her, but he suppressed the desire. He firmly told himself he couldn't betray their arrangement, that there was
no place for kisses in their deal.

"You're welcome." She smiled brightly again, unaware
of his inner conflict.

"You want to sit and talk for a while?" he suggested.

"As long as we stay back away from the water, sure."

"Now who's the one who's not very trusting?"

They both laughed, and she followed him to a cool,
shady spot on the riverbank. They sat down next to each
other, but made sure not to get too close.

"It is pretty here," Casey remarked, looking out across
the water.

"I used to like coming here a lot, until I had a run-in
with a certain troublemaker," Michael said, grinning at
her.

"You got your revenge. Aren't you satisfied?" she challenged.

"I have to admit I did enjoy getting even with you."

They both laughed at the memory.

It was then that Michael glanced down at her left hand.
He expected to see his ring there.

"You're not wearing your engagement ring."

"Don't worry. I didn't lose it," she hurried to assure him.
"I know how precious it is, and I was worried about damaging it. I figured it was safer to keep it on a chain."

Casey lifted the gold chain she was wearing out of her
shirt to show him the ring.

"I guess you're right." Michael didn't know why it bothered him that she wasn't wearing his ring on her hand for
everyone to see, but it did.

"So your pa is feeling a little better?" she asked.

"Yes."

"I wish I could say the same about mine."

"Why?" Michael knew he had to watch what he said to
her about her father.

"When I left him, he didn't look very good. He was pale,
but he wouldn't admit he was feeling bad."

"Maybe he was just tired from riding over with you to
the Circle D today."

"I hope that's it. Pa's a proud man."

"I understand. My pa's the same way proud and stubborn."

"Pride is one thing, but it doesn't make any sense when
you put yourself in danger. Pa must have known he was
feeling bad the day he collapsed. He should have said
something to me. I could have gotten him to town to see
Dr. Murray."

"He probably thought he could tough it out."

"I'm sure he did, and that kind of reasoning almost
killed him. Next to my mother dying, that was the worst
moment of my life coming into the house and finding
him lying on the floor. I thought he was dead." Casey
shuddered at the memory.

Michael saw her distress and wanted to reassure her.
"But he's fine now."

"I hope." She drew a deep breath. "What about you?
That had to be horrible, getting the news that your pa had
been shot when you were so far away."

"It was horrible. The trip back seemed to take forever.
I was scared he was going to die before I-could get here
to see him."

"But you made it."

"Yes, thank God, I did, and he's still with us. I know Pa's not happy, but maybe with time, he'll be able to
accept what's happened and go on with his life."

Can you accept it?"

"I have to. I can't change anything."

"What about your life back in Philadelphia?"

"I enjoyed the time I spent there. I learned a lot."

"Like how to dress like a dandy?" she teased.

"That was one of many lessons. My uncle was very glad
when I started to dress like a gentleman. He wasn't overly
fond of my usual boots and work pants."

"Do you miss being back East?"

"I miss some of it."

"What?" she asked, curious.

"The social life. There was a lot to do in Philadelphia."

Casey had been wondering if he'd left any special girlfriends behind. She knew he wasn't going to volunteer
the information, so she just came out and asked, "What
about girls?"

"What about them?" Michael looked over at her.

"Was there anyone special you were seeing?"

He hesitated, thinking of Karen. "There was one girl I
was seeing regularly. Her name is Karen. We saw each
other socially, but there was nothing more to it than that."

Casey found she was relieved at the news, and the emotion surprised her.

"What about you?" Michael asked. "Do you have another man in your life?"

"Only my pa," she answered, not giving a thought to
John McQueen. "Michael, this must be very difficult for
you. I mean, there you were, living the life of a gentleman, and now you're back in Hard Luck..." She almost finished with "being forced to many me," but stopped herself in time.

"This is where I want to be," Michael said firmly.

His answer surprised her.

"It is?"

"Now that I've had time to think about it yes." He
looked out over the countryside. "I love this land. I tried
to deny it. I did deny it for all those years I was away, but
now I realize this is where I belong. It's a part of me."

Casey was glad to hear it. It had been difficult enough
for her to deal with the idea of their arranged marriage,
without thinking that Michael was going to hate everything about their life together after the wedding.

"I love it, too. I know some people don't approve of me
doing so much work on the ranch, but I had to help Pa.
Besides, it's what I want to do."

"You are good at it," he remarked.

His compliment caught her off guard. "Thanks."

"Nick is definitely impressed with you."

"He is?"

"That's right. If I hadn't claimed you, he might be next
in line."

"Nick is very charming."

"That's for sure. He's quite the ladies' man. I bet the
majority of the girls in Philadelphia are counting the days
until he returns."

"Is Nick going to stay long?"

"He'll be here at least until our wedding. I've asked him
to be my best man."

"Good," she said happily.

Michael was surprised that he felt a little jealous of her
warmth toward his cousin.

"And I've asked Anne to be my maid of honor," Casey
went on. "I guess we have our wedding party all set."

"It looks that way."

"What has Nick been doing?"

"He's been working on the house with me."

"How is it going?" She still found it hard to believe that
in a few short weeks she was going to have her very own
home and would be sharing it with Michael.

"We've made a start," he said.