Texas Gold (16 page)

“Don’t.” He kept running his fingers down her back, letting the single word speak for itself.

“I don’t know what happened. I feel wonderful, but Brenton, God, I am afraid.” She lifted her head as she said the words, this time looking into his eyes.

For a second, he considered telling her fear wasn’t necessary, but he knew that wasn’t true.

The cold air seeped in suddenly, and he pulled the covers over them, still holding her to his chest.

“I wish I could tell you there’s nothing to fear, but I suppose all sorts of stuff could happen in a few days and you’d hate me.”

She shook her head. “I couldn’t hate you.”

He thought about the board meeting. Thought about her father losing his job. Thought about the way Serendipity would change in a few months.

She slipped off him and sat up, allowing the chilled air in, but not seeming to notice.

“I want to tell you something, but you have to promise you won’t try and make me feel better after I’m done.”

Whatever she wanted to say, Brenton wasn’t sure he wanted to hear. “If you’re upset, I’ll try to make you feel better, Mallory. You know that.”

She nodded. “Well, you can try. But I’d rather just tell you and then move on to other things. I don’t want to talk about it. I just somehow feel I’ve got to get it out there and you need to know. I don’t know why.”

Brenton knew now was the time to just listen, so he did.
 

“When I was fourteen, my mother died. I was at softball practice and she was coming to pick me up because I hated waiting for daddy to finish football drills during spring training. Anyway, she came for me and was broadsided by a semi out on the interstate.”

Brenton watched as she told the story, a combination of simple facts, probably reported a million times in a million different ways. All with the devastating destruction of a little girl and the rest of her family.

His heart hurt for her, and still he stayed silent.

“I always thought winning state was my ultimate goal. That somehow it would make her death seem less pointless. I’m not sure I consciously thought that or not. But it’s all I’ve worked for. It’s not enough. I don’t know what I have to do, but winning wasn’t enough, and it’s all I’ve worked for for so long, I don’t know what to do now.”

 
Brenton wasn’t a psychiatrist. He didn’t know how the human mind worked, but he knew Mallory had been holding this back for years, that it had festered in her and kept her from true happiness. New it was one of the keys to why her life revolved around games.

He didn’t have all her answers, but he had one. He reached for her and pulled her to him. “Now, you live, Mal. Now you live.”

And as his head descended to hers he made a vow that as long as he stayed in this town, he’d see to it, she did just that. And once he left, well, they’d cross that bridge when they came to it.

Mallory watched the carpenters as they worked on the new building near her family home. It stood near enough to the highway to be a major draw one day.
 

Brenton refused to talk to her about it. Told her she was more than welcome to come out and watch but under no circumstances could they talk about it.

She watched as John drove up in his shiny silver Lexus, jumped out of the driver’s side and slapped Brenton a high five.

It looked like Brenton held back, not nearly as enthused at the news as his partner.

What she wouldn’t give to hear that news herself. Judging by the way Brenton held his hand over his eyes and looked her way, she figured she ought to know.

Across the site, she watched as Brenton moved toward her and stopped when John said something else. For a moment, it looked like he’d change his mind. But after a few seconds, he shrugged and kept moving toward her.

As much as she wanted to know the news that had good ol’ partner John all excited, she still wanted to skidaddle on out of there before Brenton said whatever he had to say.

It wouldn’t be good. That was obvious from the scowl on his face.

When he stepped beside her, she offered him her water bottle.

Taking it, he took a long drink, rubbed his arm over his face, smoothing sweat away. Handing the bottle back to her he spoke. “There’s a new deal.”

Like that wasn’t obvious? If that was all, it wouldn’t be so bad, would it?

As if he read the questions on her face he nodded. “A restaurant and truck stop will go in across the street. All the land over there is open for development now, and we’ll be building subdivisions for the next five years.”

“Across the highway?” If it stayed over there, maybe Serendipity wouldn’t have to fall apart.

“Yep,” he answered clearly unhappy to be telling her this news. “He’s working on bringing in some retail stores now.”

“Hmm.” What was she supposed to say. Gee, it’s just peachy that you’re destroying everything important to me? “That sounds lucrative.”

“Very.”
 

For the billions a deal like this was worth, he sounded down-right distraught.

“Mal, I promise I’ll make a case for leaving Serendipity alone for now. Let across the highway build up and leave this a little slice of paradise.”

“The little tourist destination, right?”

He nodded. “It’ll be worthless if it grows too large. I think John will agree there.”

“But you already own land all around Serendipity, even the lake.”

“We don’t have to develop it. Or rather, we can simply add some major comforts to town like walking parks and biker trails without bringing in more growth.”

“Well, that’s good since the growth across the highway will scurry on over to use our wonderful walking parks and biker trails and lake. I bet they’ll pay a high price for some confection from the sweet shop, and they’ll take plenty of pictures of our courthouse.”

“I never lied to you. Not once. You’ve known all along what my business was and why I stayed.”

Well, he was certainly right about that. Somehow, it didn’t make her feel any better. “Now that you’ve got what you wanted when will you leave?”

The words made her sick to her stomach. He’d certainly gotten what he wanted. God, she was such an idiot!

“I told you before. I want Nina to stay in school here. I won’t leave until she graduates.”

They’d spent less than a month together, but suddenly, she found it very difficult to imagine life without him. But she couldn’t want him to stay.
 
“I’m going back to town. I’ll talk to you later.”

As she turned to leave, his hand on her shoulder stopped her. “Don’t.”

She shrugged away. “Don’t what?”

“Don’t go when you’re so angry.”

“I told you I’d talk to you later. That’s all I can say right now.”

Ignoring John’s petty wave, she started the long jog back to town not sure whether she’d be able to keep her promise to Brenton or not.

How could she possibly go on the way she had been with him. But then as memories of the last month flooded through her mind she wondered how could she not?

Dammit.

How did it come to this? There should be a way to fix this. Hell, he’d been making miracles out of hopeless situations so long, it was impossible to believe there wasn’t a way out of this that left Mallory happy.

If she’d only see reason.

Okay, she had a point about some of the small business owners in town. But he was pretty sure he could ensure their success.
 

The rest of her worries were pointless. Well, maybe not completely, but how could growth adversely affect Serendipity? She was simply afraid of change.

He’d seen plenty of people just like her in every town he’d helped improve. In the end, they all agreed he was right. If they didn’t, he was unaware of it.

Of course, no matter what he did for the small business owners, no matter how hard he fought to keep the new developments separate from town, he’d still lose Mallory in the end.

Not that he actually had her now.

But the minute the school board met, the second she heard her daddy’d been reassigned, that Serendipity was bringing in a new athletic coordinator, someone who could grow with the booming district, she’d wash her hands of him.

Damn.
 

A slap on his shoulder brought him back to the present.

“I gotta tell you, boss, that country girl is a fine looker. I bet she’s cussing you the entire run back to town.”

Brenton didn’t like the tone of John’s voice. Didn’t like the sleazy implications in his words.

How had he worked so many years with the man and never seen him?

Still, it wouldn’t do to let him see how much he cared.

“I’m sure you’re right, John.”

He’d keep it simple. Say as little as possible. Maybe his partner would get the message.

“She’s probably headed straight to the phone now. She’ll call a few of those reporters you introduced her to. Maybe even end up with a town hall meeting. If you’re lucky she won’t call for tar and feathers.” John’s chuckle punctuated the hateful quality of his words, but Brenton knew better than to react. Somehow, Mallory Baber had become a pawn in his partner’s power trip.

Why John had picked this town, this time, to fall into the old playground game evaded him, but that’s exactly what Brenton was facing now.

He’d disarm this the same way he always had.

Laughing along with John, he nodded. “You’re right about that, I’m sure. Now that you’ve seen the contractors, why don’t you go on back to the city.”

Agree with your adversary and redirect their thoughts. He’d played the game a million times. He almost always won.
 

“Take the car out tonight and have a great night on the town with one of your many lovely ladies. Hell, maybe even a couple of them.”

He shared the macho, you’re-a-heck-of-a-guy smile.

“I remember a time when you’d have celebrated a coup like this.” John shook his head. “I don’t understand you these days, Brenton. But I know it’d be real easy to mix business with personal pleasure where the coach lady’s concerned. As a friend, knowing you’d do the same for me, let me just say, don’t do it. This is just another one horse town on our road to a magazine cover story. You’d never be happy here.”

Brenton had told himself the same thing a million times. For some reason hearing the words from John aggravated him. He wasn’t about to let his partner know he’d hit a nerve. “You’re right as usual.” He pointed to the truck, affecting a nonchalant pose, a devil may care attitude. “Now get out of here. Go back to civilization. And rest assured, if Nina weren’t here, I’d definitely head on back to town to celebrate with you.”

The simple idea of celebrating what left Mallory so upset left a bitter taste in his mouth. He watched as John jumped in his truck. At least he’d succeeded in diverting the attention from Mallory.
 

Even so, he knew it was only a matter of time until John pushed him too far. Hell, it was worse than that.

In a matter of weeks, Brenton knew he’d have to dissolve his long-standing partnership.
 

He’d come to Serendipity looking for something, what he wasn’t sure. It sure as hell wasn’t more money. Maybe it had been simplicity in life.

He’d certainly blown that out of the water. Life had never been so complicated.

And the worst of it was, John was right. Mallory probably was talking tar and feathers right about now. The thrill of the chase should be long gone.

So what was he doing envisioning her on his bed, a seductive look on her face, a secretive smile that promised nights of pleasure and days of excitement?

Mallory Baber was like a siren, Serendipity his rocky shore.

What the hell was he going to do about it and still survive?

Chapter Eleven

Simply put, the man was trouble.

Mallory said the words to herself and then turned to her best friend.

“I’m in trouble, Caro. Serious, serious trouble.”

“Ah, shoot, Mal, you didn’t go and get pregnant did you?”

Mallory shot her friend an evil look and plopped back against the cushions of her couch. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

Caro held out her hands. “Hey, the last time we talked you were telling me about this glorious love affair you’re engaged in. It was a natural assumption.”

“You know what they say about assuming....” Mallory let her words hang in the air and watched as Carolyn rocked back and forth in the creaky rocking chair.

Caro shot her the finger. “Okay smarty pants. What’s the serious trouble.”

“I think I’ve fallen in love with the enemy.”

There. She said it. The words were out there in the open instead of circling back and forth in her mind wreaking havoc on her emotions. She waited for the relief to come with the telling.

It didn’t, and her friend’s reaction did little to make her feel better.

“Hell, Mallory. I told you not to do that. I let you live vicariously through my love affairs over the years. I live one soap opera after another. I cry a million tears on your shoulder after the men in my life take one hike after another, and you go and fall in love with Mr. Millionaire. Haven’t you learned anything from my troubles?”

Before she could stop it, Mallory felt a tear fall from her eye. “I know. I know. I’m an idiot. And this is so much worse than him leaving.”

Caro agreed. “You’re right. He’s not just an arrogant jerk. He’s the killer destroyer.”

Mallory’s tears were full fledged now as she nodded. “He is. And he’s even worse than that. He’s a great dad. And when we’re together, he acts like I’m the center of his universe. And he makes me feel.”

“Makes you feel...”

Caro misunderstood her, and Mallory knew why. “No, that’s just it. He makes me feel. When I’m with him, it’s like every day life is brighter, more intense.”

Caro moved over to the couch and put her arm around Mallory’s shoulders. “You’re right, hon. This is serious trouble. The kind rocky road and a six pack won’t fix. The worst thing is, you’ve already broken all the rules, so marriage is out of the question.”

As she laughed, Mallory wondered how it was possible to feel any joy when she was so desolated.