Breaking Bailey's Rules(33)

“You could write me a check this instant,” she protested. “Why make me jump through hoops?”

“Maybe because I can.”

He was being a bastard. He knew it. And by the look on Lucy’s face, she knew it, as well. But the opportunity to make her bend to his will was irresistible.

The fact that each of them could still elicit strong emotions from the other should have been a red flag. But then again, that was the story of their relationship. Though he and Lucy had grown up in the same town, they hadn’t really known each other. Not until she’d come home to Royal for a lengthy visit after college graduation.

Lucy’s parents had been dead by then. Instead of bunking with her cousin Kenny, Lucy had stayed with her childhood friend and college roommate, Kirsten. One of Kirsten’s friends had thrown a hello-to-summer bash, and that’s where Jeff had met the luscious Lucy.

He still remembered the moment she’d walked into the room. It was a case of instant lust...at least on his part. She was exactly the kind of woman he liked...tall, confident, and with a wicked sense of humor. The two of them had found a private corner and flirted for three hours.

A week later, they’d ended up in bed together.

Unfortunately, their whirlwind courtship and speedy five-month trip to the altar had ended in disaster. Ironically, if they had followed through with their wedding, two days from now would have been their anniversary.

Did Lucy realize the bizarre coincidence?

She stood up and walked to the foyer. “I have to go.” The words were tossed over her shoulder, as if she couldn’t wait to get out of his house.

He shrugged and followed her, putting a hand high on the door to keep her from escaping. “I don’t want to make a trip out to the farm for nothing. So don’t try standing me up. If you want the money, you’ll get it on my terms or not at all.”





Six

Lucy hurried to her car, heartsick and panicked. Why had she ever thought she could appeal to Jeff Hartley’s sense of right and wrong? The man was a scoundrel. She was so angry with herself...angry for approaching him in the first place, and even angrier that apparently she was still desperately in love with him...despite everything he had done.

During the past two years, she had firmly purged her emotional system of memories connected to Jeff Hartley. Never once did she think of the way his arms pulled her tight against his broad chest. Or the silkiness of his always rumpled hair. At night in bed, she surely didn’t remember how wonderful it was to feel him slide on top of her and into her, their breath mingling in ragged gasps and groans of pleasure.

Stupid man. She parked haphazardly at the farm and went in search of her cousin. She found him in the barn repairing a harness.

Kenny looked up when she entered. “Hey, Luce. What’s up?”

She plopped down on a bale of hay. “How much would it take for you not to sell the land?”

He frowned. “What do you mean? Are you trying to buy it for yourself?”

“Gosh, no. I’d be a terrible farmer. But I have a gut feeling you’ll change your mind down the road. And I’m willing to keep things running while you sow your wild oats. So I’m asking...would twenty grand be enough to bankroll your move to LA and get you started? It would be a loan. You’d have to pay back half eventually, and I’ll pay back the other half as a thank-you for not letting go of Peyton land.”

The frown grew deeper. “A loan from whom?”

Kenny might pretend to be a goofball when it suited him, but the boy was smart...and he knew his grammar.

“From a friend of mine,” she said. “No big deal.”

Kenny perched on the bale of hay beside hers and put an arm around her shoulders. “What have you done, Luce?”

She sniffed, trying not to cry. “Made a deal with the devil?”

“Are you asking me or telling me?”

Kenny was two years younger than she was. Most of the time she felt like his mother. But for the moment, it was nice to have someone to lean on. “I think Jeff Hartley is going to loan it to me.”

“Hell, no.” Kenny jumped to his feet, raking both hands through his hair agitatedly. “The man cheated on you and broke your heart. I won’t take his money. We’ll think of something else. Or I’ll convince you it’s okay to sell the farm.”

“You’ll never convince me of that. What if being an actor doesn’t pan out?”

“Do you realize how patronizing you sound, Luce? No offense, but what I want to do is more serious than sowing wild oats.”

She rubbed her temples with her fingertips. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry.”

After a few moments, he went back to repairing the harness. “Why did you go to Jeff, Lucy? Why him?”

Bowing her head, she let the tears fall. “The day after tomorrow would have been our wedding anniversary. Jeff Hartley still owes me for that.”





Seven

Jeff made arrangements to have the Hartley Ranch covered, personnel wise, in the event that he didn’t return from Midland right away. There was no reason in the world to think that he and Lucy might end up in bed together, but he was a planner. A former Boy Scout. Preparation was second nature to him.

As he went about his business, his mind raced on a far more intimate track. Lucy had betrayed the wedding vows she and Jeff had both written. Before they’d ever made it to the altar. And yet she thought Jeff was the one at fault. Even from the perspective of two years down the road, he was still angry about that.

At four o’clock, he showered and quickly packed a bag. He traveled often for cattle shows and other business-related trips, so he was accustomed to the drill. Then he went online and ordered a variety of items and had them delivered to his favorite hotel.

When he was satisfied that his plans were perfectly in order, he loaded the car, stopped by the bank, and then drove out to the farm. There was at least a fifty-fifty chance Lucy would shut the door in his face. But he was convinced her request for a loan was legit. In order to get the cash, she had to go along with his wishes.

Unfortunately, Kenny answered the door. And he was spoiling for a fight.

Jeff had spent his entire life in Texas. He was no stranger to brawls and the occasional testosterone overload. But if he had plans for himself and Lucy, first he had to get past her gatekeeper. He held up his hands in the universal gesture for noncombative behavior. “I come in peace, big guy.”

“Luce never should have asked you for the money. I can manage on my own.”

“In LA? I don’t think so. Not without liquidating your assets. And that will break your cousin’s heart. Is that really what you want to do?”

“You’re hardly the man to talk about breaking Lucy’s heart.” But it was said without heat. As if Kenny understood that more was at stake here than his would-be career.

“Where is she?” Jeff asked. “We need to go.”

“I think she was on the phone, but she’ll be out soon. Though I sure as hell don’t know why.”

“Lucy and I have some unfinished business from two years ago. It’s time to settle a few scores.”

Kenny blanched. “I don’t want to be in the middle of this.”

“Too late. You shouldn’t have tried to sell your land to Samson Oil. And besides, Lucy came to me...not the other way around. What does that tell you?”

Kenny bristled. “It tells me that my cousin cares about me. I have no idea what it says about you.”





Eight

Lucy stood just out of sight in the hallway and listened to the two men argue. Strangely, there was not much real anger in the exchange. At one time, Kenny and Jeff had been good friends. Kenny was supposed to walk Lucy down the aisle and hand her over to the rancher who had swept her off her feet. But that moment never happened.

Lucy cleared her throat and eased past Kenny to step onto the porch. “Don’t worry if I’m late,” she said.

Kenny tugged her wrist and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. “Text me and let me know your plans. So I don’t worry.”

His droll attempt to play mother hen made her smile. “Very funny. But yes... I’ll be in touch.”

At last she had to face Jeff. He stood a few feet away, his expression inscrutable. In a dark tailored suit, with a crisp white dress shirt and blue patterned tie, he looked like a man in charge of his domain. A light breeze ruffled his hair.

His sharp, intimate gaze scanned her from head to toe. “Let’s go” was all he said.

Lucy sighed inwardly. So much for her sexy black cocktail dress with spaghetti straps. The daring bodice showcased her cleavage nicely. Big surly rancher barely seemed to notice.

They descended the steps side by side, Jeff’s hand on her elbow. He helped her into the car, closed her door and went around to slide into the driver’s seat. The car was not one she remembered. But it had all the bells and whistles. It smelled of leather and even more faintly, the essence of the man himself.

For the first ten miles silence reigned. Pastures of cattle whizzed by outside the window, their existence so commonplace, Lucy couldn’t pretend a deep interest in the scenery. Instead, she kicked off her shoes, curled her legs beneath her, and leaned forward to turn on the satellite radio.

“Do you mind?” she asked.

Jeff shot her a glance. “Does being alone with me make you nervous, Lucy?”