The Rancher & Heart of Stone (23 page)

“Oh, boy,” Keely muttered.

“One day we’ll get a call for Clark at work, you wait and see,” Winnie said grimly. “He won’t listen. He thinks he can win her away from her husband. He’s in love.”

“That woman hasn’t left her husband for a reason,” Keely agreed. “She’s probably afraid of him.”

“That would be my guess.”

They rode in silence until they were within sight of the barn.

“Boone’s doing a stupid thing, too,” Winnie said after a minute.

Keely’s heart jumped. “What?”

“He’s bringing that Misty person home for the weekend,” she said tautly. “God knows why. He treats her badly, but she hangs on. I don’t understand what’s going on.”

“Revenge,” Keely guessed.

“That’s what I thought, too. But Clark wasn’t the only one hiding jewelry from me. Boone had a jewelry box in his pocket, too, just like Clark,” she said, glancing worriedly at Keely. “I saw it. A little square one, like a ring comes in. He was hiding it.”

Keely’s world was ending. She tried to smile. “I guess he discovered he really does care about her, huh?”

Winnie looked worried. “My brothers are both
idiots,” she muttered.

“Love doesn’t make people rational,” she said, glancing around at the parched pasture. “If we don’t get some rain, even the animals are going to go loco,” she added, trying to change the subject. “This drought is terrible.”

“Worse for small ranchers than for us,” Winnie replied. “We can afford to buy hay to feed our cattle. Now, this corn thing for fuel is pushing those prices even higher.” She shook her head. “You try to fix one thing, and it damages another thing.”

“That’s life, I suppose.”

“Don’t look so glum,” Winnie said gently. “Maybe it was a lapel pin or something that Boone bought for a friend. It might not even be a ring.”

“Of course.”

Winnie knew the other woman was hiding a big hurt. She changed the subject as they rode back toward the ranch.

They met a furious Clark at the barn. He was pacing, steaming. He saw the women ride up and went to meet them, along with a wrangler who took the horses to unsaddle and stable.

“What in the world is the matter with you?” Winnie asked her brother when the horses had been led away.

“That damned private detective who works for Boone’s girlfriend’s father, that’s what’s the matter!” he raged. “Boone set me up!”

“Set you up? How?” Keely wanted to know.

“Nellie is
not
married,” he ground out. “I was suspicious, because she lives in an apartment in town. None of her neighbors have ever mentioned that she had other men coming and going, much less that her so-called husband was parking his semi in an apartment parking lot. So I asked a friend of mine on the San Antonio police force to check her out for me, on the quiet. He found out that she’s never even been married!”

Winnie was shocked. “Clark, I’m sure Boone didn’t tell them to make up that report,” she began.

“Boone hates Nellie,” he shot back. “He’d do anything to break us up. And before you both say it, I know she has a mercenary streak. She likes pretty things, because she can’t afford them. It’s my business if I want to buy them for her...nobody’s making me do it.”

Winnie and Keely exchanged woeful glances.

“Anyway, she’s furious because Boone checked her out and tried to break us up with lies,” he added grimly. “She won’t see me anymore.”

Keely felt guilty. Although why she should was anybody’s guess.

“I’m really sorry,” Winnie said gently, kissing him on the cheek. “I wish I could stay and talk more about it, but I’ll be late for work. We can talk later, can’t we?” She frowned. “Oh, I forgot! I’ve got to drive Keely home....”

“I’ll drive her,” Clark volunteered. “She can console me.”

Winnie hugged her brother, and then Keely. “I’ll call you,” she told her friend.

Keely nodded. She was disappointed that she didn’t get to see Boone at all, and sad for Clark that he’d been lied to. It didn’t seem at all like Boone to have people make up stories about Nellie.

Clark put her into his sports car and peeled out down the driveway. He was still furious, and it showed.

“What are you going to do?” she asked.

“I’m going to do what Boone wants me to do,” he muttered. “I’m giving Nellie up before he finds a way to destroy her reputation.”

She felt sad for him. “Boone is formidable,” she said.

“He’s too used to getting his own way. He’s run things for so long that he thinks he can run people’s lives, as well.” He glanced at her. “Are you game for a little payback? After all, he’s done his bit to hurt you, as well.”

She felt a sense of dark foreboding. “What bit?”

“He told Misty that you were running after him at the charity dance,” he said tautly. “I told you there was some gossip. She heard it and raised hell. Boone usually doesn’t pay attention to her when she rants, but he did that time. He said you’d lured him onto the patio and flirted with him shamelessly.”

She was so embarrassed and humiliated that she wanted to sink through the floor. That was an absolute lie, and Boone knew it. She bit her lip almost through.

Clark glanced at her stony expression and grimaced. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to lay it on that thick.”

“The truth is always best, Clark, even if it hurts.”

“I couldn’t believe it when I heard him,” he said. “I know you don’t chase men. And you never flirt. When she left, I gave him hell. He just walked away without a word. You can’t argue with him. He ignores you!”

She felt very small. She’d gone running out to the Sinclair house to go riding with Winnie on the flimsiest excuse, hoping to see Boone. And he’d been telling lies about her to his girlfriend. It was the last straw. She felt sick to her stomach.

“Let’s start going out together, for real,” Clark said curtly.

“What good would that do?” she wanted to know.

“It would teach Boone a lesson about trying to run peoples’ lives, that’s what it would do,” he gritted. “I’m sick of him leading me around like a kid. He can’t stand Nellie because he says she’s mercenary. But what is that gilt-edged gold digger he takes around with him, if she’s not mercenary?”

“She isn’t one of my favorite people.”

“Or mine. And now he’s talking about getting engaged,” he muttered. “I heard him mention it to Hayes Carson on the phone. I couldn’t hear everything he was saying, but he sounded furious. Then he mentioned that he was trying to get engaged. I couldn’t believe it. But when I saw the rings sitting on his desk...”

Her heart fell the rest of the way into her shoes.

He sighed. “Well, I won’t live in the house with that ratty woman, and Winnie says she won’t, either. If she moves in, we’re moving out. Boone can entertain her all by himself.”

“I can’t say I blame you,” she said in a subdued tone. “She was willing to sacrifice poor old Bailey just to go to a concert.”

“Something you’d never do in a lifetime,” he replied and smiled across at her.

“I love animals.”

“So do I.”

“So what do you mean, that we’d pretend to go around together, like we were doing before? Boone saw right through it, Clark.”

“He won’t this time,” he assured her.

She puzzled those words the rest of the way home while she endured the pain of Boone’s cruel taunts. The man who’d kissed her so tenderly on the patio of the community center hadn’t seemed like someone who would humiliate a woman who responded to him. But she knew very little about men, and Boone had certainly pegged her for a novice. Perhaps he was just amusing himself. He’d moved away from her when she mentioned Misty, and he’d been remote. Maybe he felt guilty playing up to one woman when he was involved with another one. He had to explain the gossip to Misty, so he’d made Keely the fall guy. Gal. Whatever. She could almost hate him for that. For certain, it brought home the reality of her situation.

Boone was wealthy. Keely was poor. His girlfriend was socially acceptable and pretty. Keely’s father was a criminal. That said it all.

Clark pulled up at her front door and cut off the engine. “We’re going to San Antonio, to the ballet.” He held up a hand when she started to protest. “I’m going to hire a bodyguard so Boone won’t have the excuse that I’m putting you in danger.”

That was a new twist. She felt new respect for her friend.

“And we’re going shopping, whether you like it or not,” he added firmly. “You need some pretty evening wear, something silky and off the shoulder,” he added with a smile.

Keely felt sick. “I don’t wear those sorts of things,” she said primly.

“I’m not asking you to wear your underwear,” he said gently. “Just something a little more feminine than what you usually go around in.”

He couldn’t know how he was hurting her pride. But it did show, and he noticed. He frowned.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

She clasped her hands together in her lap. “Clark, I can’t wear clothes that don’t button up to the neck, much less something off the shoulder,” she said with grim pride. She raised her face. “I had an...an accident, just before Dad brought me back to Jacobsville. There are, well, scars...”

“God, I’m sorry!” he said at once. “I didn’t know!”

“Nobody knows, not even my mother,” she said, tight-lipped. “And you can’t tell anyone, either.” She lowered her eyes to her jeans. “It’s something I’ve learned to live with, in my own way. But I have to dress within the limitations of my injury.”

“That weakness in your arm,” he recalled out loud. “That’s part of it, isn’t it?”

She nodded. Her face was flushed. “I’m sorry.”

“No. I’m sorry,” he replied quietly. He reached over and clasped her hand in his. “I won’t tell anyone,” he promised. “And we’ll buy very conservative clothes. But pretty ones.”

“I won’t let you do that,” she said proudly.

He pursed his lips. “Suppose I made you a loan?”

“I could never pay it back. You’ll just have to make do with what I can afford to wear. My mother can loan me some of her more conservative things, and her fox fur. I’ll look presentable. I promise.”

He smiled gently. “Okay. If that’s what you want.”

“This bodyguard, you should probably ask Sheriff Carson about it,” she said.

“I will. Go on in. I’ll be in touch.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” she asked as she opened her door. “Nellie might come back to you.”

“I don’t know that I want her to,” he replied. “We’ll take it one day at a time. If you need anything, though, you let me know, okay?”

She wouldn’t, and he knew it, but she smiled.

His dark eyes narrowed. “And I’m sorry that I told you what Boone said,” he added solemnly. “It hurt you.”

“Life hurts, Clark,” she said quietly. “There’s no getting around that.”

“So they say.” He leaned over to close the door, and powered the window open. “Next Friday night. The ballet.”

She smiled. “I’ll ask Dr. Rydel if I can leave work early.”

“I’ll ask him, too,” he volunteered.

“You brave soul!”

“Yes, I’ve heard that he’s making meals of the staff lately, but we get along,” he chuckled. “I’ll call you. So long.”

“So long.”

CHAPTER TEN

T
HE
BODYGUARD
WAS
actually a Jacobsville police officer who worked odd jobs when he was off duty. He was powerfully built and never seemed to smile.

Instead of riding in the car with them, he drove his own private vehicle and followed behind them to San Antonio. Clark had paid for his gas and would have bought him a ballet ticket, as well, until he’d mentioned that he’d prefer being burned at the stake. So Clark had made other arrangements for when they were inside.

Keely was wearing the same green velvet dress she’d worn to the dance, and her mother’s fox stole and high heels. She was nervous about mingling with the upper classes of San Antonio, but Clark held her hand and reassured her that they were just regular people like himself.

He recognized a friend of his and introduced Keely to him. The man was Jason Pendleton, who owned a truck farm in Jacobsville. He was usually with his stepsister, Gracie, but tonight he was with a redhead whom he introduced as his fiancée. The woman was brassy and not very polite. She dragged Jason away scant minutes later and led him to a local newspaper owner instead.

“I guess we aren’t quite good enough company,” Clark mused. “Old Peppernell over there does own a newspaper, but our family could buy most everything he owns out of petty cash. Jason will tell her that, at some point, and then she’ll drag him back over here and gush and pretend that Peppernell is a cousin or something whom she had a duty to talk to. His sister, Gracie, isn’t impressed by dollar signs. She has friends who don’t have a penny. But Jason’s fiancée apparently only associates with the ultrarich.”

He was amused. Keely was mortified. “Is that the sort of people you know?” she asked uneasily. “They judge you by dollar signs?”

“Jason doesn’t. His fiancée apparently does.” He frowned. “I wonder where Gracie is? It’s unusual not to see them together.”

“Is it?” she countered, curious. “Brothers and sisters don’t usually partner each other at social events, do they?”

“They’re not related,” he said carelessly. “Gracie’s mother married Jason’s father, and promptly died, leaving Jason to look after her. Gracie’s mother is dead, but Gracie still lives with Jason. Until now, he hasn’t been much for commitment. His fiancée is nice-looking, I guess, but she’s grasping, too.”

Keely had noticed that. She was watching the woman as Jason Pendleton bent his tall form to speak to her. The woman gaped at Clark and Keely and winced.

“She just got the bad news.” Clark chuckled under his breath.

Keely laughed, too, but as she turned her head, her eyes collided with Boone Sinclair’s. She shivered at the unexpected encounter. She averted her eyes at once and turned back to Clark, clinging to his hand. Her heart was racing again. Boone had accused her of chasing him shamelessly. She didn’t want to have to speak to him at all.

Boone was with Misty. He tugged her over to where Keely and Clark were standing.

“Before you start,” Clark told his brother belligerently, “I’ve got Jarrett from the Jacobsville Police Department acting as our bodyguard on the road, and Detective Rick Marquez has the seat on the other side of us at the ballet.” He gave his brother a cold look. He was still smoldering about that private detective’s report on Nellie. “I’ve covered all our bases.”

Boone’s dark eyes narrowed irritably. He looked at Keely until she was forced to meet that riveting stare, but she immediately turned her attention away from him. She couldn’t forget what he’d said about her to his girlfriend.

“I still don’t think it’s a good idea,” Boone said shortly.

“Boone, why don’t we just enjoy our evening and let your brother and his...friend...enjoy theirs?” Misty asked haughtily. “He’s over the age of consent, you know.”

Boone gave Misty a look. He turned back to Clark. “Don’t put her at risk,” he said solemnly.

“I would never do that,” Clark replied shortly. “And you know it.”

Boone gave Keely a long look that she ignored. He was scowling when he escorted Misty to their seats.

“You invited Marquez?” Keely asked, for something to say.

“Yes. He loves the ballet, and he’s our lookout inside, just in case your father and his friend decide to mount an attack in the audience,” he added with pure sarcasm.

Keely laughed. “I don’t think that’s likely to happen.”

“Neither do I. Boone’s getting strange lately. He was giving Hayes Carson hell on his cell phone last night, God knows for what. Hayes is his best friend, but they’re falling out.”

“Are they?” she asked absently, still reeling from Boone’s intense interest and not really hearing what Clark said. “Shouldn’t we go in?”

“We probably...”

“Oh,
there
you are.” Jason Pendleton’s fiancée rushed up. “I’m so sorry we rushed away, but we had to speak to that friend of Jason’s!”

Clark glanced at Keely and had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing.

Jason was giving his fiancée an odd sort of look, as if he hadn’t noticed this social climbing penchant of hers. He wasn’t conventionally handsome, but Keely could see why he drew women; and it wasn’t because of his money.

She gave the couple a shy smile as Clark led her into the auditorium.

Detective Marquez grinned at them as they sat down.

“You’re alone?” Clark asked, surprised.

“I can’t get girls.” Marquez shrugged. “Once they see the gun—” he indicated his shoulder holster “—and they realize that I carry it all the time, they usually leave skid marks getting out of my life. But it’s okay,” he said pleasantly. “I always wanted to spend my whole life alone with no kids or grandkids.”

Clark and Keely burst out laughing.

He just grinned.

* * *

A
LL
THROUGH
THE
ballet, which was beautiful and riveting, Keely was aware of Boone’s dark eyes watching her. She hated the feelings she couldn’t help, because she knew what he really thought of her. It was humiliating that she couldn’t wish them away.

When the performance was over, Boone stopped Clark, Keely and the bodyguard at the front door.

“We’re stopping by Chaco’s Bar and Grill for a nightcap. Why don’t you join us? Your bodyguard is welcome to come in, too.”

“I don’t drink on the job,” Jarrett said unapologetically. “But thanks.”

“We should probably start toward home,” Clark began, knowing Keely’s reluctance to be around Boone.

“Just a nightcap,” Boone said, and he had that expression that meant he was going to get his own way come hell or high water.

“Well, all right,” Clark gave in, as he always did. He grimaced, because he’d had a glimpse of Keely’s face when he agreed.

“We won’t stay long,” Boone promised.

He and Misty started toward his sports car. It was parked next to Clark’s. Misty was complaining loudly about the intrusion on their privacy. Keely felt like doing the same. She didn’t want a nightcap, especially with Boone.

But they ended up at the bar anyway. Keely ordered a soft drink. Misty glared at her while she ordered a whiskey sour with a smirk, as if she thought Keely was putting on some sort of Puritan act.

“Marquez would approve,” Clark said gently when Keely was served. “You’re not legal, yet.”

“What?” Misty asked.

“You have to be twenty-one to have a drink in a bar,” Clark said carelessly.

She frowned. “You’re not even twenty-one?” she asked Keely.

“I’ll be twenty on Christmas Eve, in four months,” Keely said without looking at her.

Misty was irritable, and it showed. She sipped her drink and ignored Keely.

Boone didn’t. He seemed restless. When Misty excused herself to go to the ladies’ room—with obvious reluctance—and Clark decided to go, too, Keely was left alone with Boone.

She couldn’t force herself to look at him. She sipped her soda with both hands wrapped around the glass and stared toward the bar.

“You haven’t said a word to me all night,” he said unexpectedly. “And you haven’t looked at me once.”

Keely did, then, and her eyes were blazing. “I didn’t want it to seem as if I were chasing you,” she told him coldly. “I understand that I threw myself at you at the charity dance and it offended you.”

His jaw tautened. He looked away, as if the comment embarrassed him. “There are things going on that you don’t know about. You shouldn’t be wandering around the state with Clark.”

“I’m as safe with him as I would be at home,” she said. “Clark is a wonderful man. I’m very lucky that your private detective turned him off Nellie. Apparently,” she added with a meaningful smile, “I’m more to his taste than she is.”

His scowl was intimidating. But before he could speak, Misty was back. She swept into her chair and leaned against Boone’s shoulder to distract him. Clark and Keely were stiff and uncomfortable, and they barely managed to remain civil for the time it took them to finish their drinks.

* * *

M
ISTY
MADE
A
point of getting Keely momentarily alone on their way out to the cars.

“He’s talked about nothing except you all night, God knows why! Well, you won’t get him,” she said icily. “I’m going to fix you!”

Keely didn’t get a chance to ask her what she meant. Misty ran to Boone and almost tripped getting to their car. Misty was apparently jealous that Boone had mentioned Keely. She couldn’t imagine why, but it thrilled her to think he might be regretting his bad behavior.

* * *

“W
HAT
THE
HELL
is wrong with Boone?” Clark asked on the way home. “I’ve never seen him so grim.”

“I haven’t the slightest idea,” Keely said.

“I gave him the devil about that detective’s report. He swore he hadn’t put the man up to lying.” He glanced at Keely. “It’s hard for me to stay mad at him. But I’m sorry I couldn’t get us out of that drink.”

“It’s okay, Clark,” she replied. “He’s a bulldozer. It’s hard for anyone to say no to him.”

“Especially me.” He smiled. “When we were kids, Boone was always protecting me from the mean, older boys. He was never afraid of anything. I guess maybe he protected me too much. After our mom left, Dad was hell to live with. Boone took a lot of hits that were meant for me.”

“He loves you.”

“Yeah. I love him, too.” He glanced at her. “Boone said that Sheriff Carson was out your way.”

“Yes,” she replied. “I had to tell him what Dad did.”

“Excuse me?”

She bit her lower lip. Her father was a criminal. That was going to put Boone right out of her orbit forever. She was certain that Hayes Carson had already told him about Keely’s parents. The two men had been best friends forever.

“My father was a drug dealer, Clark,” she said quietly. “He supplied the cocaine that killed Sheriff Carson’s brother Bobby.”

“Oh, boy,” Clark said heavily. “You poor kid.”

“Now my dad’s back and he and his partner want money, lots of it...”

“I could give them whatever they want,” he said at once.

“No!” Her eyes were eloquent. “Don’t you see, the only way to stop them is to keep them hanging around while Mama puts the house on the market. The police might have a chance to catch them before they can hurt anyone.”

“Do you think your father would hurt you?” he asked.

Keely had never liked looking back. Her accident had hurt more than her body. When the little boy dropped into the lion pit, Keely’s father had been standing on the other side. He hadn’t made a move to help.

“Yes, he would, wouldn’t he?” Clark asked perceptively.

Keely drew in a long breath. It had been just after the court case that Keely’s father had brought her back to Jacobsville. He hadn’t said much to her, and he hadn’t met her eyes. She’d tried to tell herself that he’d only hesitated because he was shocked. But Keely hadn’t hesitated.

“I’ve spent all these years trying to pretend that he brought me back for my own good,” she said. “But I think it was because I made him ashamed.” She held up her hand when he started to ask a question. “I can’t talk about it, not even now. It’s so painful to think that my father was willing to stand by when a child’s life was in danger. I loved him. But he was ready to sacrifice me to save himself.” She looked up. “In the same situation, Boone wouldn’t have hesitated a split second. Neither would you or Winnie.”

Clark was solemn. “It’s hard to lose faith in a parent. I know. When our mother ran off with our uncle, we were devastated. Three little kids, and she just left.”

Keely was thinking that she would never have deserted her own flesh and blood. But she didn’t say it.

Clark smiled. “You’ll make a wonderful mother,” he chuckled. “Your kids will be spoiled rotten.”

She smoothed her right hand over her left arm. “No,” she said absently. “I won’t have children. I won’t marry.”

“A few little scars aren’t going to matter,” he told her.

She didn’t reply. He had no idea. She couldn’t tell him, either. She glanced at him. “I had a good time,” she said. She smiled. “Mr. Pendleton’s fiancée was a hoot.” She chuckled. “Do you think he’s really going to marry a woman who’s that blatant about social climbing?”

“I think, like me, he got into a physical relationship that blinded him to a woman’s true nature,” he said after a minute. “I hope he’s lucky enough to see the light in time.”

She frowned. “That doesn’t sound like you.”

“I was watching Misty tonight,” he replied. “She was all over Boone, her eyes like dollar signs. She likes going first-class. She pretends to have money, but I don’t think she does. I think she’s putting on an act, to try to get Boone back. I hope he’s got better sense.” He gestured with his hand. “I saw myself when I looked at him. I was just as enchanted by Nellie. But what I saw was an illusion.” He glanced at her. “You won’t even let me give you emerald earrings, and you love them,” he said softly. “I’ve never known a woman like you.”

“Actually there are lots of them, and they all live in Jacobsville and Comanche Wells,” she teased. “Just plain unsophisticated little country girls who love animals and like to plant things and don’t think marrying a rich man is the greatest of life ambitions.”