Strictly Professional (8 page)

“How are my projects supposed to survive without the funding my trust account is giving them?

“For how long?” Savannah asked.

The look on their parents’ faces gave nothing away.

This isn’t like them at all. They are usually so giving, so free with their help, but to suspend our funds?

“Until one or all of you give us grandchildren.”

“What?”

“You can’t be serious!”

William held up his hand. “We have tried to be patient with all of you.” He glanced at Savannah. “You are thirty years old with no prospective husband or children on the way. As the eldest, we expect certain things from you.”

“But...”

“We realize you are trying to finish medical school so you can practice.” His gaze swept the entire group. “We understand all of you have your careers, your pet projects, but it’s time to settle down and start raising a family so we have grandchildren to leave this fortune to. Your mother and I would rather you find a nice young man, get married, and have children in the normal way, but if that’s not possible, then you need to do what you need to do to have a child.”

Savannah’s eyes widened in shock.

You’ve got to be kidding me! I didn’t just hear what I thought I heard, did I?

“Let me get this straight in terms that we all understand, being we were raised around horses, cattle, and oil.” She stood and moved to the large window. A moment later she turned around and said with a chuckle, “You want us to use some guy as a stud service?”

Maria cringed.

“If that’s what it takes, then yes. Your mother and I would much rather you all be married to wonderful men, but since you all seem to be so stubborn about it, we have no choice but to force your hand.”

“I’m not hearing this,” Savannah mumbled.

William stood and walked to her side. “We didn’t want to do this to you or your sisters, but you haven’t left us much choice in the matter.”

“You would rather I have a child with some guy off the street than have no child at all?”

“Somehow I don’t think it will come to that, sweetheart. But in essence, I guess you’re right. Your trust funds will be released back for your use when we have confirmation of a wedding in the future or a grandchild on the way.”

Maria stood and said, “Father. I think we should leave the girls alone for awhile to digest what we’ve said.” She chewed her lip for a moment. “We love you girls very much, but your father and I aren’t getting any younger and we need to secure the future of our businesses with grandchildren. Otherwise, all of our hard work has been for nothing.” She took his hand and walked out the front door, shutting it softly behind them.

“I can’t believe this,” Sabrina said softly.

“Believe it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them so serious,” Serena added.

Savannah paced back and forth in front of the window while her parents’ ultimatum zipped across her mind and she tried to fathom what the implications might be.

I don’t even have a boyfriend. It’s not like I can’t do without the money. I don’t use it now to live on, but this is crazy. That’s my inheritance! For my future.

“What are you thinking, Vannah?” Susannah asked.

Savannah spun around to face her sisters. “I’m not sure. This is blowing my mind. I mean, I understand their want for heirs, someone to take over the businesses, but this is a little harsh, don’t you think?”

Her siblings nodded in agreement.

“So what are any of you going to do about it? Are you going to start looking for a ‘stud’?” Savannah questioned with a raise of her eyebrow.

“I don’t know about any of you, but the thought of sleeping with a guy just to get pregnant is wrong on so many levels.” Serena shuddered. They all knew if the situation she'd endured in high school.

“Well, I’m not doing it.”

“You can’t be serious, Savannah. I mean you are the eldest. You should be the first one, anyway. Plus you’ve got Brandon now.”

Savannah rolled her eyes. “I don’t have Brandon and I wish all of you would lay off him. He’s just a friend—a co-worker. That’s all.”

“Mmm...but he could be so much more.” Sabrina chuckled. “Stud?”

“Damn, Sabrina! You don’t give up, do you?” She dropped into one of the leather chairs. “What about any of you? Don’t tell me none of you have friends who are men.”

“Maybe, but I’m with you, Vannah. I can’t sleep with a guy—friend or not—to have a child,” Susannah replied.

“I tell you what. I need a drink—a strong one. Are you girls with me? I’m sure Cowboy Slide is open, even if it’s only six. We could be pretty wasted by nine.” Sabrina stood and grabbed her purse and the rental car keys.

“I’m right behind you, Sabrina.”

The other two sisters filed out behind her and Sabrina as they headed for the car. The ride to the bar was made in silence. Savannah knew her sisters contemplated the latest development of their parents’ hold on their lives, too, and her stomach quivered with trepidation.

How in the hell am I going to get around this?

They moved inside the bar and found a booth in the corner. The waitress stopped at their table and Savannah wasn’t surprised to realize she was someone they all knew.

“Hey! If it’s not the Gibson sisters. What are you all doing back in town?”

“Just visiting,” Serena told her before she rattled off her order.

Once each of them had given the girl their drink orders, she said, “Well brush off your boots and kick up your heels for a bit.”

“We’ll try to do that,” Susannah mumbled and the waitress walked away with a smirk on her lips.

“Why did we come here? All of you know my affliction with cowboys,” Savannah grumbled.

“Yeah, sis, we know, but guess what? We live in Texas, so there are a few of them around.”

“Unfortunately.” Her gaze scanned the crowd beginning to form in the bar. She’d forgotten tonight was Saturday and the bar would be packed by seven. Cowboys in every shape and size could be seen huddled around the bar, cradling a beer between their long fingers or two-steppin’ a pretty girl across the dance floor. Savannah spotted a broad-shouldered cowboy leaning against the bar with a black Stetson and dark, slightly-curly hair and her heart skipped a beat.

Brandon?

The man turned and said something to his companion.

Stupid idiot! He wouldn’t be here, anyway, and what difference does it make? He’s not interested in anything and neither am I.

The cowboy turned around and caught her gaze. A slightly-crooked smile lifted the corners of his mouth and he reached up to tip his hat to her. Her eyes narrowed and she tried to decide if she knew him or not.

“Don’t recognize him, but he’s kind of cute,” Serena whispered in her ear. “He’d probably make some handsome babies.”

Savannah’s head snapped around to stare at her sister with an open mouth. “You did
not
just say that.”

Rena chuckled softly.

“Well, you can make them too. We both have the same working parts, you know.”

“Ma’am?” She looked up and there stood the cowboy from the bar. The deep rumble of his voice sent tingles down her arms. “Would you dance with me?”

“I uh...”

“Sure she would! Go on, Savannah!” Serena shoved her shoulder, pushing her almost out of the booth.

She stood and shot a glowering look at her laughing siblings before she tugged at the side seams of her jeans where they’d bunched up around her hips. “All right!” Turning on her heel, she grabbed the guy’s hand and led him out onto the dance floor as the song changed to George Strait crooning “Baby Blue.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and tugged him close. He chuckled softly in her ear when he settled his hands on her lower back.

“I’ve never seen you here before, darlin’. You from here?” he drawled softly in her ear.

Savannah leaned back enough that she could look up into his eyes. With her best southern belle drawl, she said, “Oh I’m from here all right. Graduated from high school here and everything.”

“Really?”

“Oh, yeah.” They continued to sway slowly in tune to the music. “What about you?”

“Moved here not long ago. Took a job with one of the ranches outside of town.”

“Really? Which one? Maybe I know them.”

“You probably do. It’s owned by some oil money. You might have gone to school with their daughters. I hear they are in town this weekend.” He squinted a moment. “The old man’s name is Gibson.”

Savannah almost choked and tripped over his feet.

“You know them?”

“Yeah. You could say that.” The song drifted off on the last note and Savannah stepped back. “Thanks for the dance.”

His warm hand lay at the small of her back as he walked her back to the table. “Any time, honey.” He tipped his hat and headed back for the bar.

She slid back into the booth next to Serena. "Happy now?”

“No, but you could be.”

“Good grief! Give it up!” She grabbed her drink and downed the rest. “I need another one. Where’s that waitress?”

“You could always go to the bar and get us more. Your new friend may even buy them for us,” Sabrina offered from the other side of the booth.

“And you could too, you know. There are plenty of men in this bar. Why aren’t you all jumping up and snagging one? Every one of you knows how much I love cowboys and this place is full of them.” She frowned when her heart whispered,
Brandon’s a cowboy.

“What are you frowning for Savannah?”

She shook her head. “Nothing.”

A moment later a group of four walked up and pulled all of them out on the floor.

All of the girls loosened up—including her—especially after a few drinks. Savannah noticed the guy she’d danced with earlier had left pretty early. Her shoulder lifted in a shrug and she turned her attention back to the man who now held her and swung her around the dance floor.

They danced, played darts, played pool, and danced some more. Round about midnight, they called a cab to take them home since all of them had been drinking pretty heavily.

"We'll pick up the car tomorrow," Sabrina said, giggling softly before she hiccupped.

“Damn. I haven’t been this drunk in a long time.”

“You rarely take a day off, Vannah, much less to drink and carouse.”

“I know. I work too damned much.”

“I think we all do, to some extent,” Susannah added. “I know I never have time for a man in my life.”

“Not unless they want to take second place to my job,” Savannah said. “Most men I know can’t understand the time it takes away from your personal life to be a physician.

The cab pulled up to the expansive front entrance of the main house and the girls almost tumbled out, giggling hysterically at themselves.

“Who’s paying for the cab?” Sabrina asked, pulling out her wallet. “I’ve got ten.”

The others tossed in some money and the cab drove away while they all stumbled toward the door. The front porch light flicked on and before they knew it, Maria stood at the open portal, giving each one of them the disapproving look of a mother. “Where have you all been? Do you realize it’s past midnight?”