The Rancher And The RunawayBride: Part 2 (6 page)

“Liar.” His smile never faltered, but she thought she saw disappointment flicker in
his eyes. At least, she hoped it was disappointment.

“No, it’s not like that,” she told him. “Okay, I was thinking about someone, but it’s
not what you think.”

“What is it?”

They were at the far end of the room. Brady moved them away from the dancers and into
the corner. Randi would have preferred to keep dancing. Not because she didn’t want
to talk about this, but because while they were dancing he held her in his arms. As
he drew them to a stop, he released her. She twisted her hands together in front of
her waist and tried not to feel rejected.

“There was this guy back home. We went out for a while. The thing is, I can’t figure
out why. My mother pressured me to see him. Hal’s involved in politics and will probably
be mayor some day like his mother. There was even talk of the state legislature.”
She shrugged. “It’s not really my thing. Anyway, we dated, and, I don’t know, one
day we were engaged.”

Brady withdrew. He didn’t move away, but she felt him pull back all the same. “Are
you still engaged?” Ice sharpened the edges of his tone.

“No.” Surely Hal would consider the engagement broken when she’d run off. If he didn’t,
she would tell him, just as soon as she got back to town. “The thing is, I never loved
him. I’m not sure I liked him.” She drew in a deep breath and met Brady’s unreadable
gaze. “That’s one of the reasons I’m here. To figure things out. You know, find out
a purpose and all that.”

“You’re young,” he said easily. “That comes with time.”

“Brady!” She put her hands on her hips. “Haven’t we had this conversation already?
I’m not a child. Why do you insist on thinking that I am?” Hadn’t their time together
convinced him she was very much a woman?

Before he could answer, McGregor came up. “Well, lass, they’re playing a two-step.”
The older man winked. “I suppose you could say it’s our song.”

She glanced at Brady, trying to figure out if she should refuse the farrier’s invitation
so they could finish their conversation. He nodded at the Scotsman. “Don’t wear her
out. She still has chores in the morning.”

“Oh, I’ll be testin’ her a little, but I promise to return her in nearly the same
condition I found her. Come, lassie. Time’s a wastin’.”

She was pulled into McGregor’s enthusiastic embrace and swept around the room. At
the end of the dance, a man she didn’t know asked her to dance, then another. Thirty
minutes later, when the band took a break, there was no sign of Brady. Randi excused
herself and made her way over to the tables and chairs set up in a side room. A buffet
line formed. She ignored it, detouring the crowd to collect a soda from the bar in
the corner.

Ziggy and Quinn spotted her and called her over. She smiled and waved but kept on
walking until she saw Tex sitting alone. She tapped the chair across from him. “May
I?”

“Help yourself.”

She sank onto the wooden seat. “I’m exhausted. All that dancing. I should have taken
a longer nap today.”

“You’re having fun. You can sleep when you’re old like me.”

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t want to talk about age differences right now.”

“What do you want to talk about?” Tex took a sip of his beer.

Randi rubbed the sides of her soda can. “Why isn’t Brady married?”

“You’re going to have to discuss that with him.”

“He won’t tell me.”

“Have you asked him?”

She shook her head. “There’s no polite way to bring that up. At least not with the
person involved.”

“I don’t think he’d mind.”

She glanced at Tex. “You could hint about his past.”

“Why do you want to know?”

Her gaze skittered away. “See, this is that awkward part I was talking about.”

The older man chuckled. “I won’t give you specific information, but I might be convinced
to whisper a hint or two.”

“Great. I promise to feed Princess and the cats every day for a week.”

“You’re doing that, anyway.”

She leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table. “Then, I promise not to stop.”

“Deal.” He thought for a minute. “Brady’s not that complicated a guy. He grew up in
a secure home with great parents. Living out on the ranch, he had lots of freedom
to roam around. What with ranch chores and all, he learned about responsibility early.”

Randi wondered if she should hum “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” for background
music. Talk about the all-American boy.

“His parents were happy together. They’re still very much in love.” Tex glanced around
the room. “Not a lot of people can say that.”

She thought about her parents’ strained marriage and agreed. “It’s rare.”

“It’s also a tough act to follow. Brady wants what his folks have. He believes in
love, he’s a good man. Even so, mistakes are made.”

What mistakes? But she didn’t ask. There was no point. Tex wouldn’t answer that kind
of question. He was too loyal a friend.

“These mistakes,” she said cautiously. “They can make a man not believe anymore.”

“True. Sometimes it’s hard to get back in the saddle…so to speak.” He took another
sip of beer. “There was a cowboy Brady knew on the circuit. Donny was a hell of a
bull rider. Made it to the finals every year, but he never won. One day he started
drinking. Turns out he had a family history of alcoholism and the liquor got a hold
of him. Within a year he deteriorated to the point where he was rarely sober. He rode
drunk once and nearly killed himself.”

A group of teenagers walked by. The young people nodded respectfully at Tex, then
at her. She smiled in return.

“What happened to Donny?”

“When he’d recovered from his injuries, Brady hired him. There was only one rule.
No liquor. Donny agreed. Then one day the craving got too strong. He went out into
the herd drunk and started a stampede. He lost control of his horse, fell and died.”
Tex frowned as if the memories crowded him. “He had no one. No family to mourn him.
Just Brady. So Donny was buried in the Jones family plot, and Brady took care of his
debts and his things. That’s what he does for people.”

“If he’s busy taking care of everyone, he doesn’t have time to worry about being alone,”
she said slowly. “Being the caretaker also allows him to keep his distance. He’s always
the father figure.”

Tex raised his eyebrows. “Could be.”

Is that what Brady was doing to her? Always talking about their age difference as
a way of separating himself from her? Then, what about their kiss? Somehow that night
he hadn’t been able to hold the barriers in place. She’d gotten through. Yet as soon
as he could, he put the relationship back on very specific terms, with him acting
as mentor.

“Why this interest in Brady?” Tex asked.

“I don’t know,” she said. “I mean that. I just—” She shrugged. “I think he’s a great
guy. And I’m not going to use him,” she added hastily. “Don’t worry about that.”

“I don’t anymore.”

She smiled. “Thank you. I’ve never met anyone like him before. Sometimes I think he’s
too good to be true.”

“He’s just a man, with faults like everyone else.”

“And all of us to take care of. Who takes care of him?”

“Good question,” Tex said. “Maybe you’d like to apply for the job.”

For the first couple of hours of the dance Brady had managed to avoid torturing himself,
but after the musicians’ second break, he couldn’t seem to stop himself. He stood
behind the lodge, supposedly enjoying the cool evening breeze, but in reality he stared
in the open windows and watched Rita dance with other men.

He told himself it didn’t matter who she danced with; it wasn’t his business. He ran
through the “she’s just an employee” lecture, followed by a stern talk on how much
younger she was. He even spent a couple of minutes telling himself he didn’t like
dark curly hair and blue eyes. Then he stopped. He knew he had it bad if he was reduced
to lying to himself about the fact that he found Rita attractive.

She was, he acknowledged, very special. And not just her looks. He liked that she
wasn’t afraid to work hard and that she was endlessly patient with Ziggy when his
stuttering made it nearly impossible to complete a sentence. He enjoyed watching her
with the cats, playing with them, talking to them, naming them when she thought he
didn’t know. She’d made a place for herself at the ranch. Despite being the only female,
she’d managed to defuse any potential trouble by acting like everyone’s sister. Even
Tex had taken a shine to her.

But there was no point in letting his hormones race into overdrive. No matter how
well she fit in, she wasn’t staying. He’d always known that, and their conversation
tonight proved it.

For the first time, she’d shared a little about her past. She’d painted a word picture
of a family that while flawed, was still a force in her life. She had a mother and
a brother somewhere, waiting for her. She also had an ex-boyfriend.

He grimaced, wishing he didn’t know about Hal. Or the engagement.

Who was this man who had nearly claimed Rita as his wife? Why had she agreed to marry
him, then changed her mind? She’d spoken of the relationship as if it had no value
to her. Was that because she’d “fallen into it” as she’d claimed, or was it something
else?

The music changed. He glanced up and saw the dancers swaying together as a slow song
shifted the mood. Rita wasn’t on the floor with anyone. He could go inside and ask
her to dance himself, but he knew better. A single dance could be explained—she was
his employee and it was polite to ask her. Anything else would imply interest. As
if she hadn’t guessed that from the kiss they’d shared.

Still, he wasn’t ready to start anything with her, and he was damn well going to ignore
the fact that something may already have started on its own.

“You look like you could use this,” a voice said behind him.

He turned toward the sound and saw Rita standing in the shadows. She held out a plastic
glass of beer.

“Thanks. Why aren’t you dancing?”

“No one I wanted to dance with asked me.”

He mulled that over for a second, wondering if it was an invitation. By the time he
figured it might be, the song was half over and they couldn’t have made it inside
in time. Besides, they were both holding drinks. So instead, he led her to the bench
pressed up against the lodge.

She sank down and sighed. “You’re smart to be out here. This is better than dancing.
My feet are sore. I’m not used to wearing high heels.” She slipped off her pumps and
wiggled her toes.

Brady clenched his teeth to hold back the offer to rub her feet. It wouldn’t be a
good idea. Aside from the fact that it would be inappropriate, he doubted he could
touch any part of her without getting aroused.

She leaned back into the far corner of the bench, angling her body toward him. Light
spilled out of the window, illuminating her features. Long, dark curls tumbled down
her shoulders and back. Her mouth tilted up at the corners, color stained her cheeks.
She was lovely and he wanted her. That and a buck would buy him a cup of coffee.

“So, Brady Jones, how come you’re not married?”

He raised his eyebrows.

She laughed. “I know, I know. Talk about an unsubtle opening. However, I would like
to point out that you’re the one who is always bringing up the difference in our ages.
So what I want to know is how an old man of thirty-three has managed to avoid the
delights of matrimony? Why don’t you have a passel of kids running around and making
trouble? Where is Ms. Right?”

He angled toward her and rested his ankle on his opposite knee. “I want a wife and
a family, but it hasn’t worked out.”

“I suppose it’s tough to meet women on the ranch,” she said. “You should train Princess
to collect single ladies instead of cats. Think how convenient that would be. You
could have your pick of the litter, so to speak.”

He chuckled. “It’s not that simple. I met a lot of women on the rodeo circuit.”

“Were you wild?”

“I had my moments,” he admitted. “Not that many, but a few.”

“Not one of these buckle bunnies appealed?”

“Where’d you hear that term?”

She batted her eyelashes at him. “I get around. So, you didn’t like any of them?”

“I don’t know. I guess not. My parents are very happy together. They get mad just
like any other married couple, but they also still love each other. When I was growing
up, I knew their relationship was a priority to them. That was very comforting in
a time when a lot of my friends’ parents were getting divorced. The problem is, I
don’t want to settle for anything less.”

She took a sip of her drink. “They sound like a tough act to follow.”

“Exactly. I came close a couple of times.” He set his beer on the ground. “A few years
ago a woman came to town. Alicia. She drove a bright red convertible. Not exactly
what we’re used to around here.”

“This is more truck country.”

“Yeah. She’d taken the summer off to drive across the country. She wanted to learn
how to ride a horse, so she came out to the ranch.” Brady still remembered the first
time he’d seen her, all blond hair and blue eyes, with a smile bright enough to blind
a man.

“Pretty?” Rita asked.

“Beautiful, like a model.”

“Figures,” she muttered, then looked at him. “What happened?”

“I fell hard and fast, without bothering to look at what I was doing. She didn’t fit
in with the ranch at all, but I convinced myself it would work out. She hated the
dirt, the dust, even the horses. She wasn’t much of a rider. But I was in love for
the first time in my life and I refused to face the truth.” He thought back to that
time, to his parents’ worried faces. They’d tried to warn him about Alicia, but when
he wouldn’t listen, they’d left him alone to make his own mistakes.

“She never talked about her past,” he continued. “That should have been my first clue.
There were lots of secrets she kept. Once she disappeared for a couple of days and
wouldn’t say where she’d been, but I didn’t want to pay attention to the signs. In
my mind, we were meant for each other, just like my folks. I proposed and she accepted.”

“You married her?”

Something about Rita’s voice didn’t sound right, but when he looked at her, he couldn’t
see anything odd in her expression.

“Not exactly. We planned a quick wedding, nothing fancy. My parents weren’t happy,
but they didn’t argue with me. Mom took care of all the details.”

He leaned back against the bench. Those days were so clear to him. The conversations
he’d had with Alicia, the watchful concern in his parents’ eyes. Everyone had guessed
but him. Everyone had tried to warn him but he wouldn’t have any part of it. He wanted
Alicia and he refused to listen to reason.

“What happened?”

“What everyone but me expected. She never showed up for the wedding. She left me standing
at the altar, waiting like a fool. Eventually some kid brought a note she’d left.
She told me she’d had a great summer, that she’d enjoyed her time with me. Apparently,
the whole point of her trip was to make her rich boyfriend jealous. It had taken a
while, but the trip had worked. Two days before our wedding, he’d flown out to propose
and had taken her back with him. She said she hoped I understood and wished her happiness.”
He heard the bitterness in his voice. “I wished her a lot of things, but happiness
wasn’t one of them.”

After all this time, he couldn’t let that go. He no longer hated Alicia or blamed
himself. He understood what had happened. He’d been so determined to find something
like his parents’ relationship that he’d thought he’d found a treasure where there
was only fool’s gold. He didn’t hate her or himself, but he was disappointed that
he’d chosen so poorly. The bitterness came, not from what he’d lost, but from what
he’d never had.

“What I resent the most is that she didn’t have the courage to tell me to my face,”
he said. “She ran out on me like some kid runs away from home after breaking a lamp.
The mistake was mine for thinking her an adult capable of acting responsibly.”

He glanced at Rita. She stared at him openmouthed. Her stunned expression made him
feel foolish. Had he exposed too much of his past?

Before either of them could say anything, McGregor stuck his head out the window.
“I thought I saw you two sittin’ out here in the dark. What’s wrong with you both?
There’s fine music playin’ and dancin’ to be done. Talk tomorrow when the dancin’
is finished.”

When Brady didn’t move, McGregor snorted. “What are you waitin’ for, boy? Ask the
lady to dance.”

Brady stood up and held out his hand. Even as Rita took it, he felt the tension in
her body. She didn’t want to dance with him. She was obviously disgusted by his story.
He swallowed, feeling about as comfortable as a snake in a rocking chair store. Dammit,
why hadn’t he kept his sorry past to himself?

They moved into the lodge and joined the circling crowd. Rita held herself stiffly
in his arms. He contrasted her posture with what had happened the last time she’d
danced, when she’d melted against him.

“I know what you’re thinking,” he said. “That I was a fool.”

She raised her head and looked at him. Pain filled her eyes, darkening blue irises
nearly to black. She shook her head. “Brady, you have no idea what I’m thinking. Trust
me.”

Compassion and something else vibrated in her voice. Something that touched him down
in his heart.

“Rita?”

She pressed her lips together. “If you knew how I hated that name.”

“What name?”

“Never mind. Brady, I think you’re very wonderful. Alicia was obviously stupid and
self-centered and greedy. She had no idea what she’d found in you. If she’d known,
she would never have gone back to her boyfriend, no matter how rich he is. I’m sure
she hates herself every day, and deeply regrets what happened.”

“I doubt that.”

“Then, you’re wrong.” She tugged on his hand until they moved out of the path of the
other dancers and were standing to the side. “You’re a very special person. I admire
you so much. You’re a good man and you deserve a unique woman. I know you’ll find
h-her.”

Her voice broke on the last word. She shrugged helplessly, then turned and ran outside.

Randi stumbled into the darkness and pressed her palm to her stomach. Taking deep
breaths wasn’t helping enough. She was going to throw up.

What had happened? How could this be true? Dear God, please let him be lying. Brady
couldn’t have been left at the altar. It was too unbelievable. It was too ironic.

She sucked in air and tried to calm herself. Her heart thundered in her chest, her
legs were shaking, her throat tightened as she fought tears.

It wasn’t fair. It just wasn’t fair at all.

She turned around, trying to figure out where she was, needing to find out how to
get away. She saw someone walking toward the parked cars. She peered, trying to place
the familiar stride.

“Ty?”

The man paused.

She rushed toward him. “Ty, are you going back to the ranch? Can I have a ride?”

He blended with the darkness. There was something forbidding about his size and strength,
but right now she would have accepted a ride from the devil himself.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. “You sound upset.”

“Nothing’s wrong. Okay, I am upset, but it’s not important. It’s just—” She broke
off and realized tears blurred her vision. She swore under her breath. “I’m fine.
Can you please take me home with you?”

“Sure. The truck’s this way.”

She followed him to the pickup, then climbed into the passenger seat. Ty didn’t speak
and she was grateful. In a matter of minutes, they were on the main highway, heading
back to the ranch.

Thoughts swirled through her head. Of all the crimes for Alicia to commit. Why couldn’t
she have been unfaithful, or been married, or secretly a man? Why did she have to
run out on her own wedding? No wonder Tex had been concerned about Brady being used.
That’s exactly what Alicia had done.

The pain made it hard to breathe. As Randi attempted to draw air into her lungs, she
found herself slamming directly into the truth. There was only one reason why Alicia’s
duplicity bothered her so much—only one reason why she raged against the unfairness
of the situation. Because it made it impossible for her to explain about
her
past.

She hadn’t realized how much she’d come to care about Brady, how much she’d wanted
to be with him, until that chance was ripped away.

There would be no understanding, no miracle. When Brady found out the truth, he would
despise her. He would see her exactly like the woman who had betrayed him.

She leaned her head against the cool window and fought the tears. This wasn’t a situation
she could bargain her way out of. She couldn’t call Noah and have him make it right.
She’d created a problem all by herself, and she had no one but herself to blame.

Oh, sure, she could say those men with guns were the reason she had abandoned Hal,
but it wasn’t true. She’d decided to run
before
she’d seen the men. Once again, she’d chosen the easiest way out. Instead of facing
the consequences of her actions, she’d acted irresponsibly. This time, she was going
to get stuck paying the price for the rest of her life. She’d met a man she respected
and liked and admired—maybe even loved. A man she’d found herself dreaming about.
A man she’d just lost as surely as if she’d betrayed him with his best friend.