Right Here Waiting (7 page)

Blade pulled up in front and parked. It all seemed so
real now. She fought to hold back the tears threatening to spill. She needed to
be strong and not cry until later when she was alone.

It seemed as if the whole town of Hidden Oaks showed up
to pay their last respects to her parents. They were well liked in the
community and made a lot of friends over the years. It was evident by the crowd
gathered there today.

The memorial service began and when it was time for her
to go up front to give the eulogy, her legs felt as if they were going to go
out from under her. She could barely speak, and when she did, she heard her
voice crack. How she managed to finish the eulogy was beyond her.

When the service finally ended, she was relieved. Blade
came up behind her as she was getting in the car. “Do you want me to drop you
off at the picnic or do you want to go back to the ranch with Martha and me to
get food?”

“What picnic?” No one mentioned anything to her about a
picnic before this.” She wondered how she would make it through a social
gathering.

“We’re having a potluck luncheon in the west pasture. The
whole town is invited out to it.” She knew there would be a large turnout. She
bit her lip nervously.

She wanted to be alone, but she didn’t want to seem
anti-social, either. She couldn't allow herself to become a hermit. Her parents
wouldn't like that. She hated the thought of having to explain to everyone why
she never returned to Hidden Oaks until now, but she would have to go to this
picnic and face everyone. “I’ll go help you and Martha with the food, and we
can go to the picnic together,” she said at last.

He reached up and stroked her face, causing every nerve
in her body to come alive. “I was hoping you would,” he said in barely a
whisper. She felt the urge to kiss him and backed away from his touch. Getting
in the car, she closed the door, which acted as a shield between them. She
breathed a sigh of relief.

In no time flat, they were parked near the west pasture
where it appeared everyone in town began to gather. She felt a knot in her
stomach. Was she really ready to face everyone from her past? A small part of
her wanted to turn and run back to her cabin at the ranch, locking the door
securely behind her. She forced herself to stay. She was going to be living
here for a year. She might as well get it over with and face everyone now.

As if sensing her uneasiness, Martha came up behind her
and patted her gently on the back. “Everything will be fine, dear. A lot of
people around town have been asking about you. They have been looking forward
to seeing you again. It's a safe bet to say everyone here missed you while you
were away.”

She nodded before taking the pie Blade handed her. She
followed Martha and Blade to join their guests.

Martha spread a large red and white checkered table cloth
down on the ground; while Blade began setting the food up on a picnic table
several of the ranch hands placed there earlier. She set down the pie she was
carrying and began helping Blade set the food out. Before long, people began to
line up and help themselves to the spread before them.

She excused herself and went and sat down on the blanket
with Martha. Her eyes were drawn to Blade’s every move, no matter how hard she
tried to look away. Martha noticed her watching him. “Some things never change,
do they?” the older woman commented.

She was startled by Martha’s question. She turned to
Martha who wore a warm, gentle smile on her face. “What do you mean?” she
quickly asked. She prayed Martha wasn’t referring to the crush she once had on
Blade back when she was just a young girl.

No such luck. “I’m talking about your feelings for Blade.
I know you’re in love with him. I can see it in your eyes. He loves you too,
you know.”

“What makes you so certain I love him?” she asked on the
defense. She knew Martha was right about her feelings for Blade, but as for
Blade's feelings for her, she felt he wasn't exactly in love with her.

“Don’t try to deny it. I’ve been around long enough to
know love when I see it.”  Martha's words were pretty convincing, but still
there were some lingering doubts.

“Maybe I do love him, but what good does it do?" She
felt helpless. "You’re wrong about Blade loving me. The only thing Blade
is interested in is sex. I doubt he even cares what woman he does have in his
bed with him as long as one is there. I just happen to be convenient for him at
the present moment. Our history means nothing to him.”

“You don’t really believe that, do you?” Megan could tell
by the tone of Martha's voice she was concerned.

“I most certainly do.” She tried to sound stronger than
she was feeling at the moment, but she failed when her voice slightly cracked.

“When are you going to be honest with yourself and Blade
about how you really feel about him?” The question caught Megan off guard and
she quickly pulled herself together.

“Never,” she responded with a smirk. “The last thing I
need to be doing is putting my heart on the line. Besides, haven’t we talked
about this? This is sounding all too vaguely familiar.” She knew her words were
harsh, but she couldn't help herself.

“Come on now. Don’t be this way. You have always been
stubborn, but would hate to see you mess up your entire life because of it. He
never expressed this verbally, but whenever your name got brought up, just by
the expression on Blade’s face I could tell he longed for the day when you
would return home to the ranch and to him.”

“Are you sure? You could be mistaken, you know.” She
wanted to believe Martha's words, but how could she?

“I know he has a funny way of showing it, but the man is
one hundred percent crazy about you.”  Could it be true?

“Are you sure?” She felt a tiny spark of hope.

“Trust me on this one. Have I ever steered you wrong
before?” This was one question Megan knew the answer to without a shadow of
doubt.

She was more confused now, but she knew she needed to
listen to Martha. In the entire time she knew the woman, she never knew her to
be wrong about anything. “What do I do?” she asked helplessly.

“What is it they teach you girls in New York? Haven’t you
heard? The best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach." A smile
settled on Megan's lips.

* * *

A
s the day progressed, she got reacquainted
with the citizens of Hidden Oaks. She even met a couple new families who moved
to the community after she left. She even saw Alex Corbin, the first boy she
dated. He looked the same, except older.

Alex was still attractive, but in no way did he come
close to comparing to Blade. She doubted any man would. She tried to
concentrate on what Alex was saying as he tried to catch her up on his life
story, but her mind kept wandering back to Blade and Martha’s advice where the
cowboy was concerned.

Blade and the other ranch hands already excused
themselves after eating to go back to the ranch to change clothes and meet the
truck delivering a load of feed. She knew she wouldn’t be able to go grocery
shopping today, which meant the romantic dinner she was planning in her mind
for Blade would have to wait. Maybe tomorrow. How would Blade react to what she
planned for him?

“So, tell me Megan, what have you been doing with your
life since you left Hidden Oaks?” Alex asked, breaking into her thoughts.

She felt bad because she heard very little of what he
said to her. “I work as an advertising executive for the leading advertising
agency in New York City.”

“Wow!  Pretty impressive. How long are you in town for?”
he asked. She could hear the hope in his voice.

“One year.” It seemed almost like a prison sentence.

He let out a low whistle. “You left a wonderful job back
in New York City and you’re going to stay here in little Hidden Oaks, Idaho for
a whole year?”  The hope she once heard in his voice turned to shock and
disbelief.

She knew it sounded unbelievable. She could hardly
believe it herself. She wished in a way it weren’t true, but the thought of
going back to New York and leaving Blade behind suddenly bothered her. She
couldn't explain why. “My parents left a stipulation in their will. I have two
choices. I stay here for one year and run the ranch, or I lose the entire ranch
to Blade Thorne. I can't allow my parents' ranch to be turned over to that
man."

Alex gave her a sympathetic look, and reached out to grab
her hand. “That stinks. I know this is a weird time to ask this, but do you
think maybe you and I could go out sometime? Before you have to go back, I
mean.”  He sounded sincere.

Still, his question caught her off guard. She wasn't
expecting it. The way she was confused about her feelings towards Blade, she
didn’t feel right about accepting a date with Alex. She also didn’t want to
turn him down completely, either. She wanted to leave her options open. “Look
Alex,” she said, squeezing the hand holding hers. “I know you’re a really nice
guy and all, but now is really not a good time for me. I need a little time to
think it over.” It was a hard thing to do, but she felt a little bit of relief
once the words were out.

He looked crushed, but he accepted her answer. She felt
bad, but she knew deep in her heart she was doing the right thing. There was no
use in leading him on.

Alex went off to join some of the other guests and she
went back to join Martha on the blanket. She was glad when the day was finally over.
Everyone pitched in to help clean up. Blade returned to drive her and Martha
back to the ranch, while the other ranch hands collected the picnic table. She
had to admit, she made it through the day better than expected.

* * *

I
t was a couple of days later before
she was finally able to go grocery shopping. She tried to sneak off with Rex
without Blade finding out, but no such luck. He spotted them as they were
getting in the truck and came running towards them. This was just what she
needed.

After a few heated words with Rex, Blade was now behind
the wheel driving towards the grocery store. She should have known he would
pull this. She hoped he wouldn’t become suspicious. She wanted the dinner she
planned for the two of them for the evening to be a surprise. She wanted
tonight to be special.

After they got to the grocery store, she got all the food
in the cart without mishap. Right before they got to the checkout, she picked
up some flowers to use as the centerpiece on the table. When Blade gave her a funny
look, she said, “I thought they’d brighten up the cabin some.” She was glad he
bought her explanation without any questions.

When they arrived back at the ranch, Blade said, “I’ll
help you with these groceries, and after we get them put away, I’d like you to
come up to the ranch house and eat at least one more meal with us.”  This time
it was a request, not an order.

She didn’t want to upset him like last time by flat out
refusing his invitation to dinner, and yet she couldn’t tell him yes and ruin
the evening she planned for the two of them. She simply said, “We’ll see,” and
left it at that. He didn't argue.

“Fair enough,” he said as he loaded his arms with
groceries and followed her into her cabin. He sat the groceries down on the
counter. She placed the flowers in a crystal vase before she began helping
Blade put the groceries away. She could almost see them doing this as a married
couple. She tried to shake the image from her mind. Even if tonight’s dinner
was a success, marriage was not in the cards for them. His life was here on the
ranch and hers was back in New York City. The thought almost made her want to
cry. She was sure going to miss him. There was no question about it.

* * *

A
fter the groceries were all put away,
Blade promised to be back in an hour to see if she changed her mind on the
dinner invitation. As he walked out the door, she knew she needed to act
quickly if she planned to have everything prepared by the time he returned.

She just set down a bottle of wine she chilled in the
small refrigerator while she cooked and lit the candles when his knock came at
the door. He must have noticed the lights turned off because he called out,
“Megan, are you in there?”

She walked over to the door and opened it. “Is there
something wrong?” he asked as soon as she got the door open. "All the
lights are off."

She stepped back to allow him entrance. “Why don’t you
come in and find out for yourself?” She didn't know why, but she felt
flirtatious at the moment.

“Don’t mind if I do,” he said, removing his cowboy hat
and stepping inside, making the already small cabin seem even smaller, but this
time she didn't mind.

“What’s all this?” he asked when he spotted the romantic
setting. She could have sworn with the little bit of light reflecting from the
candles, she saw a hint of jealousy flash in his eyes. “Do you have a date
tonight?”

“You could say I do,” she said coolly. 

“What do you mean?” She watched him squirm uncomfortably.

“You’re my date, Blade.” She didn't like the idea of
playing around with him anymore than what she just did.