The Rancher And The Runaway Bride: Part 3 (4 page)

He leaned back in his seat. There was no point in straining to hear the conversation.
While he’d settled in at the back of the diner so he could watch what was going on,
Randi and Hal had a booth up toward the front. Even if they spoke loudly, the conversation
from other patrons and the clink of dishes muffled their words. He was at right angles
to them. All the better to torture himself with, he thought grimly. He could see them
looking at each other, catch every nuance of body language, and watch them either
reconcile or break up.

Maybe he should have waited in the car. It would have been easier not to watch. Yet
it was like staring at the scene of an accident. Even though he didn’t want to look,
he didn’t have the strength to turn away.

At least Hal Stuart wasn’t the paragon he’d feared. While the man was fairly tall
and in some circles might be considered handsome, Brady found his perfect blond hair,
tanned skin and practiced smile too polished for his taste. Hal reminded him of an
old-fashioned snake oil salesman. What had Randi ever seen in him?

Watching her now, it was obvious she was battling with the same questions. When they’d
first met, Hal had been cautiously friendly. He’d held out his arms for a hug. Randi
had offered a tight smile instead. Brady had breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing
he wanted was to watch the woman he loved give herself to another man.

Hal leaned forward in the booth and spoke earnestly. His manicured hands cut through
the air, emphasizing what he said. Randi nodded a couple of times, then shrugged.
She still wore the same clothes she’d had on yesterday. Worn jeans and a faded T-shirt.
He’d offered to take her by her mother’s house so she could collect some clothes,
but she’d refused. Her long hair hung loose around her shoulders. She looked like
a pagan goddess.

Suddenly Randi and Hal stood up. They shook hands across the table. Hal left without
giving Brady a single glance while Randi headed toward the rear booth.

“Hey, good-looking,” she said, sliding in across from him. “What’d you think about
Hal? I noticed you didn’t beat him up.”

“If he’d tried anything, I would have. So, what happened?”

She smiled. “We talked about the wedding. I told him my concerns. He agreed that under
the circumstances it would be best not to resume the relationship. End of story.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I can’t believe everything is turning out so well. Why on
earth did I resist coming home? The police believed me, Hal accepted the broken engagement
without a whimper. All that’s left is talking to my brother.”

“And your mother.”

“Oh, Brady, why’d you have to go and spoil my mood? I was doing fine until you mentioned
her.”

“You know you have to talk to her.”

“Yeah, but she’s going to get on my case about Hal, and she’s going to want me to
move back with her.”

Thoughts of either made his blood run cold. In his head he knew Randi wasn’t coming
back to the ranch with him, but in his heart, that was all he wanted. Nothing was
easy.

Randi took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I guess it’s time for me to finish
growing up. If you can handle a little more trauma, I’d like you to come meet my brother,
Noah. He got married to Amanda, his old girlfriend, while I was gone. One Howell runs
out on her wedding, another gets married with almost no warning at all. What a family.
You gotta love us, right?”

He smiled. “Absolutely.”

* * *

“I see you finally decided to use some of the money they pay you,” Randi said, linking
arms with her brother and glancing around at his beautifully furnished living room.
“I thought you were going to be trapped in that bachelor apartment forever.”

Amanda, an ER doctor at the same hospital as Noah, laughed. “I think we would have
been perfectly happy there, since we’re both constantly at the hospital, but Noah
insisted. As soon as we were married.” She met her husband’s gaze and they shared
a moment of silent communication.

“I’m glad Noah and Amanda have this house,” Melissa Howell said from her seat by the
fireplace. “It’s important for someone in Noah’s position to have the right kind of
residence.”

Brady leaned against the window frame and watched Randi roll her eyes at her mother’s
comment. They’d finished dinner a few minutes before and had moved into the living
room for more conversation.

He’d caught Randi’s worried gaze a few times during the meal. She was obviously concerned
because he was so quiet. When they were alone, he would reassure her that he was fine.
This was her family, and she needed time to catch up with them. While he appreciated
her bringing him along, he couldn’t help feeling like the odd man out.

Melissa Howell smoothed her silk skirt and turned toward him. “Mr. Jones, you own
a ranch? Is that what my daughter told me?”

“No, you don’t, Mother,” Randi said, leaving her brother’s side and approaching Brady.
“You’re not going to grill him. Brady Jones hired me when I had no references and
no way to prove myself. He’s been a terrific friend to me, and I refuse to let you
ask about his family name and net worth.”

Melissa, all sleek hair, perfect makeup and expensive jewelry, made a slight expression
of distaste. “Randi, I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I’m sure I do.”

“Brady doesn’t look like he needs defending,” Noah said.

“Your brother’s right,” Brady told her as she reached him and took his hand. “I can
take care of myself.”

Randi’s blue eyes crinkled at the corners as she smiled. “Maybe, but you’ve been taking
care of me for the past couple of months, so it’s only fair that I return the favor.”
She leaned forward and whispered, “Besides, my mother can be very determined. After
all, she talked me into marrying Hal.”

“What are you telling him?” Melissa asked. “Stories, I’m sure. My youngest has always
had the most peculiar notions.”

Amanda broke in with a statement about ordering a bedspread. There were so many fabric
swatches to choose from. Momentarily distracted, Melissa gave her daughter-in-law
her full attention as they discussed the merits of the various offerings.

Randi gave her brother a thumbs-up signal. “He made a great choice,” she murmured
to Brady, leading him to a settee as far from her mother as possible. “Amanda handles
Mom like a pro. With her around, the situation might be bearable.”

Brady settled next to her on the small sofa. In the soft light her skin was luminous.
She wore her hair pulled back from her face and twisted into order at the base of
her neck. Protesting the entire time, she’d finally agreed to visit her mother’s house
long enough to collect some clothes. He’d stopped at a local store for some supplies
of his own. In their run from the bad guys, they’d been forced to leave their luggage
behind.

“Why are you staring at me?” she asked. “You hate this, don’t you? You hate being
here.” She sighed. “I don’t blame you. Family stuff. I’m sure your parents are a blast,
but the Howells are not known for rollicking good times. I’m really sorry this is
so boring. We’ll leave soon, okay?”

He touched her cheek, noting how mysterious her eyes appeared. He’d never seen her
in makeup. The cosmetics emphasized her strong features, adding to her allure.

“Actually, I was thinking about how great you look.”

“Really?” She shook her head. “You’re just saying that. I know I’m not hideous, but
I’m not really—”

He touched a finger to her lips. “Yes, you are really pretty. I’ve always thought
so.”

Her gaze locked with his. The moment reduced itself to the two of them, and he wished
they were alone together so he could show her how much he loved her.

“Hey, brat,” Noah said, coming up to join them. “I’m glad you’re back.”

“Me, too.” Randi angled toward her brother but didn’t let go of Brady’s hand. “I’m
sorry about running off.”

Noah’s gaze narrowed. “Time away seems to have done you some good. You’ve grown up.”

“Finally.”

Noah turned to Brady. “I don’t think any of us have thanked you for taking care of
Randi. She’s annoying as hell, but we would have missed her if we’d lost her permanently.”

“My pleasure,” Brady said.

Conversation continued. Brady found himself resisting being drawn into the family’s
inner circle. Not because he didn’t enjoy their company, but because he knew he didn’t
belong here. While he liked visiting the city, his life was back on the ranch. Money
wasn’t the issue—his family’s fortune easily fit into the category of what Melissa
Howell would consider acceptable. The problem went deeper than logistics or finance.

He watched Randi laugh at something her brother said. She fit in here, in this room,
with these people. He had no right to ask her to leave.

She deserved better than he could offer. She’d been right about him, about the way
he picked up strays in his life so he could emotionally hold back. He’d grown up in
the bright reflection of his parents’ love and had wanted the same for himself. Instead,
he’d found Alicia.

Then Randi had entered his world and shown him light and love he could claim as his
own. But it was too late for him. For them. She belonged here—he had nothing to offer
her but a life of isolation in a desolate corner of the country.

Doing the right thing was going to hurt like hell, but do it he would. Because that
was all he knew. He would love her, and loving her, he would let her go.

Later, when they’d made their excuses and left, Randi leaned against him as he unlocked
the truck. “Do you have any thoughts on where you want to stay tonight?”

“Gee, I was sort of hoping we’d stay at your mom’s.”

She slapped his arm. “Don’t even joke about it. At her place, there’s no way we could
share a bed. Even if I got up the courage to sneak down the hall to join you, I wouldn’t
be able to relax. It would—” She broke off and bit her lower lip. “You didn’t want
us to sleep together, did you. That was the whole point. Oh, I should have seen—”

This time she stopped talking because his mouth covered hers. He kissed her deeply,
tasting all of her, holding her tight, rubbing his arousal against her belly until
she couldn’t doubt what he was thinking.

“A hotel would be nice,” he said, raising his head slightly and raining kisses on
her face.

“Hmm, or we could just do it in your truck.”

“Not too comfortable.”

“How would you know?”

“I researched the concept thoroughly in high school.”

“Maybe you need more practice.”

He glanced at her and smiled. “I would prefer a real bed where I can make love to
you slowly. I want to take your clothes off one by one, touching and tasting every
part of you, bringing you close again and again until you’re powerless and panting.”

Her mouth opened, then closed. She blinked. Finally she said, “Okay, that works. A
hotel it is.”

Randi stood at the bedroom window and stared at the beautiful grounds that, in a few
short months, would soon be covered with snow. The irony of her situation would have
been amusing if it hadn’t hurt so much. Just three months ago she’d been in the Squaw
Creek Lodge ready to be married. Last night she’d stayed in one of the rental condos.
Once again being in Squaw Creek Lodge was about to turn her life upside down. Only
this time she wasn’t the one leaving. This time she was the one being left.

She sipped coffee from a mug and listened to the silence. He hadn’t said a word…yet.
He didn’t have to. She knew him now, understood his moods, his thoughts. She’d seen
the world through his eyes. There were disadvantages to loving a noble man.

They’d spent last night as they’d spent the night before. Making love. He’d taken
her in his arms and together they’d experienced perfect joy. If he’d been anyone else,
she would have assumed that was enough. But he wasn’t anyone else, he was Brady Jones.
The kind of man who always did the right thing.

“Why do you leave me?” she asked, her voice soft and shaking slightly.

She heard muffled footsteps on the thick carpet, then felt the pressure of his hands
on her shoulders. They both wore the luxurious robes provided by the lodge. Even through
the thick, expensive terry cloth, his touch warmed her. Once he was gone she would
never be warm again.

“I don’t want to,” he said.

“Then, don’t. Stay with me, or ask me to stay with you.”

There! She’d said it. Put it out on the table, so to speak.

“It’s not that simple.”

“Why not?”

He tried to turn her toward him, but she resisted. Her eyes burned and she didn’t
want him to watch her cry. Not when they might be seeing each other for the last time.
She stared out at the view, trying not to notice when the trees blurred and blended
with the sloping grounds.

“I was wrong to judge you,” he said. “You made the best of a bad situation and I admire
that. You’re a hell of a woman, Randi. Tough, gutsy, beautiful.”

She sniffed. He was lying about the beautiful part, but right now she didn’t care.
She set her coffee mug on the window sill. “Then, don’t go.”

Or ask me to come back with you. But she’d already offered a broad hint that she would
accompany him if requested. She wasn’t going to beat that point to death. If he wanted
her there, he would tell her. Obviously he didn’t.

“You have a life here,” he continued. “Family, friends. Grand Springs is a pretty
nice little place.”

“Paradise,” she murmured, blinking away the rest of the tears.

He sighed, then moved closer and rested his chin on her head. “You were right about
me. I’ve been holding back part of myself from my friends. I’ve been making it easier
for myself because I didn’t want to get burned. Selfishly, I’m glad, because now I
can let you go. We both know it’s for the best. I can’t give you what you have here.”

She spun toward him. “Brady, no. Don’t do this. Don’t leave me.” She clutched his
hands in hers. “I love you.”

His dark gaze met hers. He smiled faintly. “I love you, too, Randi. I have for a while.
Even before I knew anything about you. I think you’re very special. We’ll always have
this time we’ve spent together.”

She hadn’t thought it could hurt more, but it did. Hearing that he loved her and that
he was still willing to let her go was the worst trick of all. “Just like Bogie and
Bergman,” she said. “We’ll always have these few weeks. Great. Forgive me for wanting
to have more—a real relationship.” She pulled away and turned back to the window.

She stared unseeingly at the scenery. “Someday you’re going to have to risk it, Brady.
You’re going to have to find the courage to put yourself on the line and ask for what
you want. You can’t hide behind doing the right thing forever.”

“That’s not what I’m doing.” He sounded annoyed. Good. At least anger was an emotional
response. Better he hated her than just tolerated her.

“You’re still afraid to risk it all,” she said. “The words are meaningless without
the actions to back them up. I love you. I’m willing to leave everything behind to
be with you. I’m willing to put my heart and soul out there to see if we can keep
the magic alive for the rest of our lives. What are you willing to risk?”

He didn’t answer. She heard movement in the room, but didn’t dare turn around. A few
minutes later, he said, “This isn’t how I wanted it to end.”

Her whole body ached. “That’s the difference between us,” she said. “I never wanted
it to end at all.”

Pain tightened her throat. She wondered if she was going to die from the hurt, or
if she would simply learn to live with the awful emptiness inside. Did it matter?
Without him did anything matter?

“Goodbye, Randi,” he said. The front door opened, then closed, and he was gone.

She continued to stand at the window until her legs trembled from fatigue. Then she
dressed and collected her few possessions. At the front desk the clerk told her the
bill had already been paid. Brady had been a gentleman right up to the last. She thanked
the clerk and arranged for a cab to take her to her mother’s. She needed to retreat
and lick her wounds for a few days. Eventually she would have to figure out what to
do with her life, but not now.

During the cab ride home, she leaned back in the bench seat and closed her eyes. Now
what? She had to make something of her life. She would have to figure out how she
wanted to spend her days, then get a job and make plans. Whether she liked it or not,
there was the future to think of.

But instead of considering travel or moving to another city, all she could see was
the ranch. Princess and her cats, Tex, the cowboys. And Brady. Always Brady. What
would he say when he got home? What would he tell everyone? Would they forget her
right away or would they remember? Would Brady hire another groom, and would that
new person erase all traces of a woman named Rita Howard? Would Ty ever try to return
to Denise? Would the cats find homes? Would—“You all right, miss?” the cab driver
asked.

Randi glanced at him. “I’m fine.”

His obvious discomfort made her realize she was crying. She brushed her fingers against
her cheek and was surprised to feel moisture.

Would Brady suffer as she suffered, or would he simply go on with his life?

When the cab dropped her off, Randi stood staring at her mother’s large home. She
didn’t want to go inside. There was nothing for her there, nothing but a lifestyle
she’d never understood. Should she start out fresh and immediately look for an apartment?
Should she—“Noah will know,” she said, and started toward the front door. She would
call him and he could tell her what—She paused in midstride and shook her head. No.
There would be no phone calls to Noah or anyone else. This was her life and therefore
her decision. She was supposed to have grown up. If she wanted advice, fine, but she
was through abdicating responsibility. She would give herself a couple of days to
get over the worst of the pain, then she would make a plan. Despite losing Brady,
she would have to go on. Somehow, she would find—if not happiness—then at least contentment.
Eventually.

* * *

Three days later Randi hadn’t come to any decisions. At least none that made sense.
She’d considered becoming a nun or maybe going to teach English in a foreign country.
Both options required a commitment she wasn’t ready to make.

The only fact of which she was certain was that she still loved Brady. She was going
to love him for the rest of her life. Three sleepless nights had convinced her of
that fact. She’d also become aware of a faint but persistent voice mumbling some rather
unpleasant truths. Brady wasn’t the only one guilty of not trying hard. He’d been
noble and had not asked her to leave her life behind. But
she’d
let him walk away without insisting they deserved more.

Given his past, how Alicia had treated him, it was understandable that he was reluctant
to pressure a woman to be with him. So perhaps he’d been waiting for her to demand
his attention. Unfortunately, she was also suffering from a case of the “maybe I’m
not enough” syndrome and had been more than willing to act as the martyr.

After driving her small two-seater aimlessly around Grand Springs for the better part
of the afternoon, she decided to head back toward her mother’s house. If she and Brady
were both letting fear ruin something as magnificent as love, then they were obviously
too cowardly and stupid to deserve happiness. But if they didn’t love each other,
who would?

She smiled at that twisted logic, her first smile since he’d left her. Her mind cleared
and she finally figured out what she wanted to do with her life.

She was going to live on Brady’s ranch. If he didn’t want her in his bed, then she
would work in his stables. At least she’d been a great groom. She would stick around
for as long as it took to convince him she wasn’t running off and she wasn’t pining
for life in Grand Springs. Despite being as relationship-impaired as herself, Brady
had moments of brilliance. He would figure it out in time. If necessary, she would
enlist the cowboys’ aid in her campaign.

As she pulled in the driveway, she spotted an unfamiliar car parked by the back door.
Randi stopped behind it and got out. Her mother hadn’t said anything about company.

Not wanting to get involved in yet another discussion about why she’d run off from
her own wedding and where she’d been all this time, she snuck in through the kitchen.

An unfamiliar sound stopped her. She paused, one foot on the backstairs and listened.
Was that laughter? Was
her
mother laughing? A low chuckling sound mingled with the higher pitched amusement.

Her mother was entertaining a man?

Unable to resist taking a peek, Randi walked quietly through the kitchen and peered
around at the living room. Sure enough, her mother sat on the stark white sofa. Her
dark hair was sleek, her dress more appropriate for a fancy night on the town than
a regular afternoon. Perfectly manicured hands moved through the air, punctuating
her conversation. Then Melissa Howell laughed again.

“Mom?” Randi said, involuntarily.

Her mother glanced up. Instead of scolding her for showing up in jeans and a T-shirt
or offering some other criticism, her mother did something Randi had never seen before.
She blushed.

“Oh, Randi. You’re back.”

If Randi hadn’t known better, she would have sworn her mother was disappointed.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll just head upstairs.”

“You’re not interrupting. I’ve been entertaining your company while you’ve been gone.”

“My company?”

Her heart began to pound in her chest. She hurried into the living room. But the man
rising to his feet wasn’t Brady. It was Tex. The ex-marine, dressed in a work shirt
and jeans, looked as out of place in her mother’s perfect living room as Randi had
always felt. She hoped the heavy weight of disappointment sinking in her stomach didn’t
show on her face.

“Tex. What are you doing here?”

The older man shrugged. “You left a few things behind. I thought I’d drop them off.”
He pointed to a small pile of clothing on the love seat opposite the sofa.

She forced herself to smile. “That’s nice. You didn’t have to come all this way. You
could have boxed it up and sent it.”

“Not all of it.”

He glanced at her mother’s lap. There, curled up on a fluffy cushion of formal silk,
was a small black kitten.

Randi’s eyes filled. She swore she wasn’t going to cry, but her voice cracked as she
said, “P-Peter?”

The kitten stirred, yawned, then mewed sleepily. His eyelids fluttered as he sank
back to sleep.

Her mother touched the kitten’s head. “Tex was telling me that Peter didn’t care for
the long trip. He looked tired and hungry. I gave him some tuna and water, then he
went to sleep. I hope you don’t mind.”

Randi wasn’t sure which part she was supposed to mind. “That’s great. Thanks.” She
looked at Tex. “Are you heading back tonight?”

“No.”

Melissa Howell cleared her throat. “Well, I thought it was so kind of your friend
to return your belongings and bring this precious kitten. Tex and I have been talking
and, well, I’ve invited him to stay for a couple of days. You know, to recover from
the trip. It’s the least we can do.”

“Sure,” Randi said, wondering when the aliens had first taken over her mother’s body.
“No problem. Are you two doing okay entertaining yourselves or do you want me to hang
around?”

“Oh, we’re fine,” her mother said brightly. “We’re going out shortly to get a litter
box and supplies for Peter. I thought I might set up a bed somewhere upstairs.”

“Great.” Randi backed out of the room. “I’ll be in my room.”

As she climbed the stairs, she didn’t know whether to laugh or call for the men in
white coats. Her mother had actually let a pet into her house. This from the same
woman who had often complained about her children simply playing with neighbors’ animals.
But the kitten was the least of it.

Her mother and Tex?
Her
mother?

Randi shook her head. It’s not that Melissa wasn’t attractive. If anything, she could
easily pass for a woman much younger. She dressed well, was socially correct and had
many qualities that Randi kept trying to appreciate. But her mother and
Tex.

She sat on the edge of her bed, trying to take in what was happening. Good thing she
was already planning to leave. Things were just too weird around here.

She’d barely finished packing a suitcase when there was a knock on the door. “Come
in,” she called.

Tex stepped into the room. He glanced around, taking in the designer bed covering
and matching drapes, the pale bleached-oak furniture, the numbered lithographs on
the wall. “I don’t care much for your decorator,” he said at last.