“I’m a realist, Cole. You are not the average person. I imagine that you and your advisors have to contend with schemers trying to get some of your money every day. I’m not one of them. But I have no way to prove it. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to see that look of betrayal in your eyes.”
“There is no look of betrayal. We will marry as soon as I can arrange it.”
“No, we won’t. I refuse to marry a man who doesn’t love me. And you just made it clear that you don’t believe me or want anything more to do with me. That isn’t love.”
“I’m just curious, Tallie. Was the entire New Orleans thing staged?”
“What?”
“Was it all part of some plan?”
“There was no plan.” Her voice was dull, as though the soul inside her body had given up.
He let out a sigh. “I would think by now you would be willing to come clean. But, no matter—we are getting married. No way is my son or daughter going to be born without my name whether the baby was conceived under false pretenses or not. It isn’t how I roll. It isn’t how this family operates.”
“I’m not marrying anyone. I’ve been through a painful breakup once. I’m not about to go through that again by entering into a marriage I know won’t last.” She looked at Cole. “Based on what you just said, you must have doubts that you’re the father.”
He thought about that question. “Should I?”
“No. I’ll do the test. That’s only fair. But I don’t want to marry you, Cole.”
“That, my dear, is too damn bad.”
Tallie tried to work but her heart wasn’t in it. The girls seemed to know something was wrong but didn’t approach her and she was grateful. Cole had left after he’d taken her to the doctor’s office for blood work then to city hall to apply for a marriage license.
He had looked at her then, his usually golden eyes a flat brown, his mouth pulled into a straight line, his dark brows drawn into a frown. “I expect you to be here when I return.”
His words were daggers straight to her heart. He had dropped her off at the mansion, picked up his briefcase and, without another word, walked out the door. She’d fallen onto the leather sofa and hadn’t stopped crying for hours. Or was it days? And she had not heard from him since that moment.
She stayed for only one reason: she loved him. She could put herself in his place and doing so helped her understand the pain she’d brought to his doorstep. She felt duty-bound to try to do as he asked when all she really wanted was to run away and hide.
At 4:00 p.m. she called a halt to the day. Rain clouds were hovering and the temperature dropped into the low eighties. She stepped back and looked around her. The only place to go was up. Into the cliffs. There might be caves she hadn’t spotted yet. Five months into her pregnancy, she debated if she could climb a ladder. Probably not the smartest thing to do.
After herding the girls to the RV and saying good evening to the two cowboys who arrived for their evening watch, she ambled to her old car and headed for the ranch. She could think of a thousand places she’d rather be.
And the next five days went pretty much the same way. She went to the dig site, worked with the girls until four in the afternoon, then returned to the mansion for another lonely night. She still hadn’t heard from Cole since their argument. He hadn’t called. It should have made her happy but instead she felt dead inside. This situation was not going to work out well.
But tonight, on entering the house, she immediately heard his voice. He must be in his office talking on the phone.
“Chances are meant to be taken, Matt,” she heard Cole say. “In business. Not on a personal basis.”
There was a silence while Cole listened to the person on the other end of the line.
“No, I really didn’t give it a second thought, which was stupid on my part. She was hot and willing and I saw no reason to abstain. She had good references, the family liked her... A few months later she tells me she’s pregnant. I used protection. In this day and time I’d be a fool not to. It was then I began to question her and everything about her. I hope like hell you did the same in your situation.”
There was another silence. Was Cole talking about their time in New Orleans? She had always prided herself that she wasn’t an eavesdropper but it would take a bomb to pry her away from that door.
“What are you going to do?”
Silence.
“Think about this, Matt. She’s probably after money. It never fails. And usually there is another man touted as just a friend that’s the real father of the baby. He is also the banker. And unless you catch him, he will clean you out. Right now she could take you for everything you’re worth. Beat her to the punch and offer her a payoff up front. Let her know your suspicions. If she even considers it, you will have your answer.”
Another silence.
“Then all I can tell you is to have your attorneys draw up an ironclad prenup. I’m afraid you’re gonna need it. I hope I’m wrong but I haven’t seen a woman yet that didn’t have those twenty-four-carat stars in her eyes. They will even track you down to get some of it.”
Long silence.
“Well, good luck. Keep me posted.”
Tallie tried to swallow but her throat had gone dry. Quickly she hurried away from the door, down the hall and out to her car. She felt shocked but her mind told her she shouldn’t have been surprised. What else had she expected?
Tallie wanted to ask him how much longer this would go on. How much punishment did he intend to dish out for something that was equally his fault? But she didn’t. The overheard phone call had pretty much said it all. She needed to leave. Immediately. Before he tried to force her into a marriage that was wrong on so many levels.
Everything bad she’d imagined happening if Cole found out about the pregnancy was coming true. His words had penetrated her shield of self-protection like a laser cutting through butter. What he’d said hurt deeply. He’d spoken of her like some vicious, impersonal stranger. He considered her someone who expected money for a romp in the bedroom. Now he felt compelled to marry her and give their baby a name. He had described their relationship in such a cold, unfeeling way.
She had never had sex without caring for the person she was with, but realistically that’s exactly what she’d done. Knowing how he felt about her brought back the tears. And she couldn’t blame Cole. She couldn’t blame anyone but herself.
She didn’t have to be told twice that she wasn’t wanted. She would leave with all possible speed. Returning to the dig wouldn’t accomplish anything. He would find her there—if he even bothered to look. She would leave her things and arrange for someone to pick them up later.
She climbed inside her old Ford and started the engine. It was past time to go home.
Cole emerged from his office sometime later, tired but stimulated by the conversation he’d just had with the CEO of a company they’d been trying to do a deal with for about four years. The man had finally looked at the figures and was suddenly interested in a merger and the potential money he would make.
Cole smelled food cooking in the kitchen and headed in that direction. Andre was busy making supper.
“I will have this ready for you in about ten minutes, Mr. Cole.”
“That will be fine, Andre. Have you seen Dr. Finley?”
The chef looked at him with a confused expression. “Dr. Finley left. She called Carson and said she would send for her things.”
Left? Tallie was gone? “What time did she leave?”
“I’m not sure. A couple of hours ago at least. Carson would know.”
“Did she say where she was going?”
“No, sir. She did seem quite distressed but all she said to me was goodbye.”
Cole thanked Andre and walked into the den. Tallie had actually left. That was a first. Usually it took a herculean effort to get a woman to leave once she showed her hand. Did Tallie expect him to follow her? To track her down and demand she come back? She was in for a surprise if she did.
He hated being played. He was tired of it happening over and over again. Women saw the name Masters and that’s all they needed to know. He had actually thought Tallie would still be here now that she had Cole where she wanted him. In fact, that she’d left was a bit unexpected.
Curious, he sped up the stairs and entered the room she’d been using. Her clothes, everything, was there, including the set of wedding rings in the small black case on the dresser. He opened the box. The rings were there, sparkling against the black velvet. So she hadn’t taken the rings. It didn’t appear she’d taken much of anything. That surprised him.
Returning to the ground level he called out to Martha, “I have to make a quick run to the bank. Hold supper if you can.”
When he stepped outside the sky was already turning black. Storm clouds hung low. He saw lightning in the distance; he heard the rumble of thunder. He jumped into the truck and headed toward downtown Calico Springs. It wouldn’t take long to sign the papers he needed to sign down at the bank then he could return home and have a nice quiet evening. As he backed out of the parking area, raindrops began to beat against his windshield.