Somebody Like You (30 page)

He got up and walked to the window.

“Answer one question for me, Cash.”

“Okay.”

“Do you love her?”

Without turning around, still staring into the darkness, he said, “Yes.”

“Have you told her that?”

“No.”

“Then you’d better get packed. Sounds to me like you need to make a trip to Boston.”

He stayed at the window, listened as she called to Staubach, and heard the door close behind his mother and his dog.

The woman was a steamroller. And she was right. His mom always had been.

He rested his forehead on the windowpane. No doubt Annie’d say no, but no guts, no glory. He had to take a final shot at talking her into a life with him. On her terms.

She liked the city? Fine. There were plenty of things he could do besides ranching. He had a college degree, a fairly sharp mind, and a burning desire to be with Annie.

If that meant living in Boston, then that’s where he’d hang his hat.

A
nnelise, her parents, and Nelly, along with three of her grandfather’s nurses, stood at his bedside, singing happy birthday. The nurses had brought him the traditional birthday cupcake since the transplant marked a rebirth.

He beamed and took a small bite. “It’s the first day of the rest of my life. A life I’ll have because of you, Nelly.” He looked at his half sister and then at his granddaughter. “And you, Annelise. You’re a stubborn one. And today, I’m thankful for it.”

She gaped at him. “You’re calling me stubborn? Have you looked in the mirror lately?”

Everyone laughed.

He took her hand in his. “So. I understand you met a boy out there in Texas. Your mother told me he’s quite the catch.”

“I don’t think that’s exactly what I said,” her mother corrected.

“Still, it’s what you meant,” he said. “Your father was impressed with him, too. Said he has a good business head on his shoulders.”

It hurt. Talking about Cash was like sticking a pencil in a fresh wound.

“Cash Hardeman is as fine a young man as they come,” Nelly said. “I’ve known his family since, well, since his grandpa was a young boy. And I do mean boy, in this case. Calling Cash a boy—Well, doesn’t really tell the tale, does it, Annie?”

Annelise wet her lips. “No. He’s a man.” Her chest felt asthma-tight.

“So why aren’t you with him?” Her Grandpa practically bellowed.

Annelise gaped. “Because…because I had important things to do here.”

“Why didn’t you bring your fellow along?”

“Grandpa.” She toyed with an earring. “First of all, he’s not
my
fellow. Second, we’re like, I don’t know. Champagne and bottled beer…city and country. We live in completely different worlds.” She ducked her head. “Besides, and this is probably the biggest reason, he’s not interested in me. Not really.”

“Then why’d he follow you all the way to Boston?”

“What?”

Grandpa tipped his chin toward the window that faced onto the nurse’s station. “That the young man out there in the cowboy hat? The one you’re not pining for?”

She followed his gaze, and there stood Cash. He looked tired. He looked wonderful. He looked right at her.

Her breath caught.

Cash crooked his finger in a come-here gesture.

She turned to her grandfather.

“Go.” He made a shooing motion. “Get out there and see what the boy wants. He certainly is a tall one.”

“Yes. Yes, he is.”

“Should make some wonderful grandbabies.”

She laughed and rushed out to Cash. “What are you doing here?”

He shook his head. “Questions later. First, this. I need this.” He ran his thumb over her lower lip. Then he took her hand in his, lifted it, and kissed her fingers, the palm of her hand. Dipping his head, he kissed her neck below her ear.

“I love when you wear your hair in a ponytail. Love the way it bares your neck for me,” he whispered.

“Cash—”

“You know one of the reasons for a hat like this?” He touched a finger to the brim of his Stetson.

She shook her head. “No, but I think you’re going to tell me.”

“Darned right. It hides us from prying eyes when we do this.” His lips claimed hers, and she lost all rational thought. When he lifted his mouth from hers, she felt light-headed and more than a little dizzy.

“I had to come, Annie. I had to be here with you today. It’s a special day for your family.” He grinned crookedly, his dimples deepening. “My mom stopped by last night and chewed my butt good.”

“Why?”

“Because I wasn’t behaving like a Hardeman.”

She frowned in confusion.

“Hardemans fight for what they want.” He took her hand again and played with her fingers. “I know I’m not in your class, Annie. I’m not gonna poor-mouth my family. We’re comfortable. More than. We have a nice operation in Texas. We raise horses and run beef cattle, and we do very well at it.

“But my name doesn’t have a pedigree after it. It’s not going down in any history book. I can guarantee there’ll be food on my table every day, but I won’t be eating that food off Limoges or Lenox china or whatever the hell kind you’re used to.” He stopped, took a deep breath, and planted his hands on his hips. “And that’s the way I like it, Annie. The way my family likes it.”

“You think that matters to me, Cash? That I care about my china? Did you pay attention to what I set on my table? Mismatched thrift store plates. And I loved them, more than any designer plates I’ve ever eaten from.”

“I know. And despite all the reasons we shouldn’t work, I believe we do.” He cupped his hand under her chin, tipped her head up so their eyes met. “Because of that, today’s a special day for me, too.” Grasping her hand a little tighter, he stared into her eyes. “Marry me, Annie.”

Annelise’s heart leaped to her throat. Right there in the hospital, with her dressed in a sterile gown and little blue booties, her cowboy was proposing to her. Words refused to come.

When she said nothing, he removed his hat and raked his fingers through his hair. “I didn’t mean to do it like this. I hadn’t planned to do it here. You deserve moonlight and romance. A big production. The whole shebang. But I couldn’t wait. When I saw you in there—You’re so damn beautiful. And I’ve missed you. I’ve been so lonely without you. It’s like the best part of me hopped on that plane in Austin and flew away.”

He sighed. “I love you, Annelise Montjoy, and I always will. Marry me?”

“You love me?”

“Wait. Before you answer. I’ve got more to say.” He held up a finger. “Marry me, but not because of my grandfather’s will. My mother was right last night. I let the codicil, the whole deadline thing play with my head. I convinced myself I was only thinking of marriage because of it. But that’s not true. I want you, Annie. I want you to be my wife. Grandpa had his Edith, his sunshine. His reason for living. I’ve found my Annelise.”

She started to open her mouth, but he held up a hand.

“One more thing.”

“Boy, for someone who’s in a hurry for an answer, you sure have a lot of qualifications.”

He let out a half laugh. “That’s because I’m scared to death you’ll say no. I want everything up-front. No surprises.”

“Now you sound like a lawyer.”

“I know. I’m blowing this, aren’t I?”

She simply smiled at him.

“Okay, here’s the one last thing.” He took her hand again. “I don’t care where we live. As long as we’re together, it’s the right place. Vivi’s gone. She sold me her half.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“That’s why you didn’t need to press charges.” Annelise grinned. “You blackmailed her, got your own justice.”

He grimaced. “Blackmail is a strong word. I may have used what happened as leverage, but I didn’t blackmail her. That said, I can sell the ranch if you want, or my father can oversee it.”

“You’d give up Whispering Pines for me? You’d leave Texas and live here in Boston?”

“If that’s what you need.”

“It isn’t. I need
you
.” She laid a hand on the side of his face. “I want everything that comes with you. I love you, Cash Hardeman, and I always will.”

“So, come on, darlin’. Tell me you’ll marry me.”

“Without any reservation. My answer’s yes. Yes, yes, yes!”

He hugged her to him, grinned ear to ear, and let out a long breath. Reaching into his jeans pocket, he pulled out a jeweler’s box. Opening it, he took out a beautiful diamond and blue topaz ring and slid it onto her finger. “It reminded me of your eyes.”

“Oh, Cash. It’s beautiful.”

“So are you.” He cradled her head in his hands and kissed her, long and deeply.

From both inside her grandfather’s room and behind them at the nurse’s station, they heard clapping. She held up her hand and circled so everyone could see the ring.

Then, holding hands and laughing, the two bowed to their audience. Cowboy boots and champagne flutes. Together, they could have it all.

The Maverick Junction Series

Nearest Thing to Heaven
(Available June 4, 2013)

N
ot fair!”

Sophie London leaned her head against the icy windowpane and stared out at the gray Chicago skyline. Fingering the amethyst in her pocket, she tried for the billionth time to rationalize away her fear of flying. The mere thought of hopping on a plane made her palms damp.

And now this weather.

The timing couldn’t be worse. Sighing, she sipped from her mug of cocoa.

Mother Nature, who’d either gotten up on the wrong side of the bed or suffered from a major case of PMS, was throwing herself one monstrous, rip-roaring tantrum. During the course of a single hour, the sun had disappeared and left behind a low, ominous cloud cover. The temperature had dropped almost twenty degrees.

A mix of snow and rain spit against the glass. Wonderful. Even tucked away in her fourth-story apartment, Sophie swore she could hear the slush on the sidewalks contracting and solidifying to ice. No doubt about it. Her taxi ride to O’Hare would be a slip-sliding, horn-honking nightmare.

Only mid-November and already the temperature had dipped below freezing. Dirty snow and boot-soaking slush blanketed the sidewalks. Frigid gusts of wind, intent on seek-and-destroy missions, whipped off Lake Michigan and zeroed in on already bitterly cold pedestrians unlucky enough to be out and about.

By tomorrow, none of this would matter, Sophie reminded herself. Because this afternoon, nerves or not, she fully intended to be on a flight headed to Texas, sipping a glass of wine, and eating the last of her carefully hoarded birthday stash of Godiva chocolate!

That is, if the worst of the weather held off long enough. Otherwise, she might experience the blizzard from inside a 747 stranded on the tarmac.

No. Don’t even go there.

Think positive, Sophie. Think positive.
She breathed deeply and turned her back on the ugly outdoor scene. From her stereo, Enya’s ethereal voice surrounded and relaxed her. The lavender, grays, and creams of her bedroom did the rest. How could she stay upset inside this feminine, restful retreat she’d created?

A glance at the clock had her stomach dropping. Oh, my gosh! If she expected to make her flight, she’d better hustle. And being on that plane when it took off wasn’t optional. She had a wedding to attend. She could only thank God it wasn’t hers.

Annelise Elizabeth Katherine Montjoy, her cousin and BFF, was tying the knot. Marrying a cowboy. An honest to God cowboy. Sophie still couldn’t quite wrap her head around that.

She’d better, though, because, inside of twenty-four hours, she’d be in the middle of a fitting for her maid-of-honor dress. And that cowboy would be the groom.

So…back to clothes. Hanger by hanger, Sophie studied the ones in her closet, an eccentric mix of beautiful vintage pieces and quirky thrift store finds. What should she take to Maverick Junction, Texas? Not white silk. Been there, done that. Like an idiot, she’d shown up in exactly that for a Fourth of July barbecue at the Hardeman ranch.

That memory brought to mind the handsome cowboy whose kid had dumped his cherry soda in her white-silk lap…and the way said cowboy had tried to wipe it clean. Whew! Maybe she should stick her head out the window and cool off.

Ty Rawlins. So hot she could almost forget he cowboyed for a living. The man was something else. Yeah, and wasn’t that the truth? How about starting with the fact he had three-year-old triplets? Boys. Didn’t that cool a gal off faster than any Chicago winter. Yikes. Added to that, he was a widower to boot. A woman would have to be beyond insane to jump into that mess.

Insane? Her? No. Behind on the deadline for her spring line of greeting cards? Definitely.

And if she didn’t meet that deadline, she’d also find herself behind on her mortgage—and out on her butt on that ice-covered sidewalk.

But all that would have to be sidelined till after the wedding. Right now, she couldn’t do a thing about it, so why fret.

Pushing the worry aside, Sophie grabbed clothes and stuffed them willy-nilly into her bag. She opened drawers and pawed through them, pulling out everything she might need and dumping it in her suitcase. Enya had to travel with her, so she grabbed her mp3 player and added it to her bulging carry-on.

Her beautiful bedroom looked like a hurricane had ripped through. Well, that, too, would have to wait. She’d put it to rights when she returned.

Or was leaving it like this tempting fate? Her fingers found the amethyst in her pocket, ran over its smooth surface. No time. She had to go.

Satisfied she’d done all she could, she slung her carry-on over her shoulder, zipped her large case, and, with one last look around, rolled it out to the living room. She had one hand on the doorknob when her phone rang.

Without thought, she answered—and instantly regretted it.

Nathan.

“Hey, beautiful,” he said. “What are you up to?”

Her stomach dropped, and she leaned against the door. When would she start checking caller ID? This is exactly what it was for! Next time, she promised herself. But for now, nothing she could do but suck it up and deal with him.

“Actually, Nathan, you just caught me. I’m heading out the door as we speak. I’ll be gone for a couple of days.”

“Business?”

“No.”

“Want company?”

A low-grade headache took root. Her neck and shoulder muscles tightened, and she wet her lips. “No, I don’t.”

She hated that he forced her to walk so close to rude.

“Where are you going?”

“Away.”

Uncomfortable silence fell between them.

“You can’t even tell me where you’re going?” Petulance seeped into his voice.

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. “Nathan, we’ve had this talk before.”

“What talk?”

Okay, now he was being deliberately obtuse. “Look, I have a plane to catch.”

“What talk, Sophie?” His voice had lost the wheedling tone and taken on a harder, demanding quality.

Thirty seconds more and she’d have been out the door. No, he’d have called her cell if she hadn’t picked up…and she’d have answered that, too, without checking.

“This isn’t a good time—”

“It’s the perfect time.”

“Okay.” Resolve squared her shoulders. “We decided this wasn’t going to work. That we both needed to move on with our lives. Separately.”

“
You
decided.”

Her pulse kicked up a notch. She hated confrontation, but she couldn’t give in on this.

“Fine.” Her carry-on slid off her shoulder, and she hitched it back up. “You’re right.
I
decided.”

“I figured by now you’d have changed your mind.”

Oh, boy. This had been hard the first time—and the second and third times. She so did not want to rehash it all again. Why couldn’t he simply accept they were done?

Actually, they’d never really started. Nathan Richards was gorgeous, successful, and, at first blush, personable. They’d dated a couple of times and had fun. Then he became possessive. Very possessive. He started showing up at her door. At the grocer’s. At the theater.

Truth? He spooked her.

“I haven’t changed my mind. I’m not
going
to change my mind. Good-bye, Nathan.” She hung up, a plan forming in her mind.

The newlyweds would leave for their honeymoon right after the wedding, so the apartment Annelise rented would be empty. It might not be a bad idea to stay in Maverick Junction a little longer than she’d originally intended. Give Nathan a chance to deal with reality and her time to work undisturbed on her spring line.

Letting her bag drop to the floor, she moved to the window. Scooping up her pots of herbs and lavender, she walked across the hall to her neighbor’s.

Dee was at work, so Sophie set the plants in the hallway outside her door. Rushing back into her apartment, she scrawled a quick note.

She propped the card against the pale blue pot of English lavender. Okay. That was taken care of. Her plants wouldn’t wither and die while she was gone. Hands on her hips, she chewed her lip and studied the single piece of luggage at the door. It wouldn’t be enough. Not with her change of plans.

She dashed back to her bedroom, dragged another suitcase from beneath her bed, and flung in random clothes. Tugging it behind her, she hurried back to the living room. Better. Now, if she decided to stay in Maverick Junction, Texas, a bit longer, her plants would survive and she’d have clothes to wear without doing laundry every other day.

The heat kicked on, reminding her to adjust the thermostat before she left. Had it really only been a couple of months earlier she’d been running the air conditioner? This summer had been a scorcher, and she’d practically lived on Lake Michigan in her little sailboat.

Winter had come roaring in early, teeth bared. Only a few weeks into colder weather, and she was tired of it already.

This wedding might be exactly what the doctor ordered. Time and space should cool Nathan’s heels while sunshine and warm weather cured her sudden lack of creativity.

Speaking of…She slid her laptop into its case. If she expected her muse to stir, it might be best to have her work tools with her.

Without giving herself time for second-guessing, Sophie turned off the lights, locked her door, and headed for the elevator. Unconsciously, her hand slipped into her pocket to rub the amethyst again.

As she let herself out of the building, she cautiously glanced up and down the street. She wouldn’t have put it past him to have called from right here on her doorstep.

No Nathan in sight.