“What are you planning to do?”
“The land belongs to Holt Ranch.”
“So you’re going to just take it?”
“It’s not like that. The land isn’t yours.”
“You can’t just take it back. My family needs those lakes to irrigate our tree farm and water our cattle.”
He tried to assume a placating tone. “If your father would see reason for a change and work with me, we could offer him a water lease.” It was more generous than Tyrone Taylor had ever been with the Holts.
“You intend to charge us for what’s been ours for decades?”
So it was us now. After how her parents had treated Lark. The way they’d refused to help with Grace. Their abandonment of Skye as she lay in her hospital bed fighting for her life.
His anger with her parents, specifically her father, boiled over. “It’s Holt land.”
Immediately he knew he’d chosen the wrong tack. She looked as if he’d slapped her.
“We’ll fight you.” Her voice quivered with dismay. “With everything we have.”
“Lark, be reasonable. Let’s talk about this.”
“Reasonable?” The word carried the weight of all her distress. “Why do I have to be reasonable? My father was right about you. You Holts will do anything to get what you want.” Her breath caught. “Even sleep with me.”
Her accusation struck him like a whip. “You can’t really think that.”
“My mother said you were using me. She was right.”
“That’s not true. I only wanted to help you with Grace.”
“You did a little bit more than that.” She spoke the words as if they tasted bitter.
“You’re right,” he said, all passion leaving his voice. “I also fell in love with you.”
Thirteen
He was lying. Lark stared at Keaton in horror. The room around her grew fuzzy, but his face remained crystal clear. How had she been so stupid? She’d actually believed that he cared about her when all along he was manipulating her emotions so that she’d turn against her family.
One part of her brain reminded her that the discovery of the missing document had only recently happened and they’d been intimate for weeks. He knew she had no ability to sway her father. Skye was the sister who wrapped their father around her little finger.
“You don’t love me,” she said, the denial struggling to escape her tight throat. “We barely know each other. No one falls in love that fast.” But hadn’t she? Could she honestly deny that she loved him with her whole heart? “You just want me on your side against my father.”
“I want you by my side, but only because in the last few weeks you’ve become my world.”
He looked so earnest. Believable. “Then can’t you forget you found the bill of sale?” In her heart she knew it was unfair to ask him.
“I don’t want to lose you.” He closed his eyes and his face turned to granite. When he met her gaze once more, his expression was bleak. “But I can’t sacrifice my family’s future either.”
From the beginning Lark had dreaded this moment and now she knew she’d been right to worry. She wasn’t romantic and passionate like Skye, who’d willingly turned her back on her family and entrusted her whole world to the man she loved. “Then you must do what you believe is right.” Her whole body went cold. “And so must I.”
She backed away and fled to the nursery, confident he wouldn’t follow. Sensing her distress, Nicki had stuck to her like glue. The closed door and white noise player that helped Grace sleep drowned any sound of the front door opening and closing. Lark sat in the room’s rocking chair and absently stroked Nicki’s head until she’d recovered enough to process the last ten minutes.
Did she really believe that Keaton had used her? She rubbed her temples. Surely if he wanted a partner for sex, he could snap his fingers and have a dozen gorgeous women flock to him. He might have been oblivious of the stir he’d created among several of the women at the Richardsons’ party, but she hadn’t. But with her mother’s vile suspicions bolstering a lifetime of social awkwardness, Lark had fallen into a familiar mind-set.
But love? That seemed too far-fetched. Nor had he looked particularly happy to admit it. He’d chosen his family over her. The same way she’d chosen hers over him. They weren’t at all like Jake and Skye. Those two had given up everything they’d ever known to be together. Neither Keaton nor Lark was willing to make that sort of sacrifice. That proved, however much they cared about each other, it wasn’t truly love.