The Texan’s Bride(61)
“What?” He felt a sucker punch to his gut.
“When he knew he wasn’t going to live much longer, he kept saying if I had any problems or fears I was to call Cadde. He’d take care of everything. Cadde’s a good man.” She zipped the suitcase and swung back. “I saw this as my opportunity to get what I wanted. I’ve been in love with you since the first time I met you, but you never noticed me. And I wanted you to notice me, so I said to Daddy that I might as well be married to you, and he was off to the races with the idea just like I wanted him to.”
He frowned. “Did you suggest how to split the shares?”
“No, Daddy did that.” She lifted the bag to the floor. “Even after the marriage you kept your distance, but since I’m like my manipulative father I offered you another deal—a baby for Shilah. How could you refuse? It was what you wanted, control of Shilah. But you can’t make someone love you no matter how much you manipulate the situation, as my father found out. You’ve never loved me. When we were at High Five and I was playing with the kids, you walked over and kissed my cheek. All I wanted to hear was ‘I love you.’ But you didn’t say the words. You never have.”
“Jessie.”
“Oh, please, do not say them now and insult my intelligence.”
He just stared at her, trying to take in everything she was saying. But he just saw a woman overwrought with pain.
“So you see, Cadde, I brought all this misery on us because I tried to play God.” She picked up the bag. “You’ll receive divorce papers in the mail and the transfer of the share into your name.” She pushed past him.
Divorce papers.
I’ve loved you from the first moment I met you.
You’ve never loved me.
You’ve never loved me.
It took a few minutes for him to come to his senses and then he tore from the room. In the kitchen, he asked Rosa, “Where’s Jessie?”
Tears filled Rosa’s eyes. “She’s gone, Mr. Cadde. I don’t think she’s coming back. She told me to take care of Mirry.”
Cadde ran into the garage, but Jessie’s Suburban was gone. Jessie was gone. Where would she go?
He reached for his cell and called her number. It rang and rang and then went to voice mail. She wasn’t taking his calls. Dammit!
He dashed back to the kitchen. “What’s Myra’s number?” Rosa gave it to him and he quickly dialed.
“Myra, Jessie’s left and she might be coming to you. Call me when she gets there.”
“She’s in no condition to drive.”
“I know. That’s why I’m so worried. Just call me.”
“Wait. They arrested Vernon Lynch. He was hiding out at his sister’s.”
Somehow that didn’t make anything better. Jessie was gone. He had to find her. Running to his truck, which was still parked in the front yard, he prayed he could catch her. He watched the highway for the silver Suburban, but there wasn’t a sign of it all the way into Houston.
Not knowing what else to do, he called his brothers and told them what had happened. They immediately started searching, too.
Frustrated, he called Myra again and again, but she still hadn’t heard from Jessie. As the darkness ushered in colder temperatures, he drove home, hoping Jessie was there.
She wasn’t.
Chance and Kid called. They hadn’t found Jessie, either, and wanted to come out to be with him. He told them no. There was nothing they could do, and he had to be alone to face his own shortcomings.
Where would Jessie go? He racked his brain. Gavin. Grabbing his phone, he searched for the man’s number. Jessie had spoken to Gavin from his phone so it had to be on his cell. He finally found it and called the number.
“Gavin, this is Cadde Hardin.”
“Oh, I heard about the attack on the news. Is Jessie okay?”
“Jessie’s very depressed and she left. I can’t find her. Have you heard from her?”
“No. Not a word.”
Cadde wasn’t sure he was telling the truth. “Man, don’t lie to me. If she’s there, just say so. Jessie needs medical attention.”
“I wouldn’t lie about something like that.”
By Gavin’s concerned voice Cadde knew he wasn’t lying. “If she calls or shows up, please let me know. We’re all worried about her.”
“I will.”
Cadde walked into the living room in a daze. Where was Jessie? Falling onto the sofa, he stared at all the decorations Jessie had strewn about. This was his fault. How could he have never said the words? Didn’t she feel them?
It didn’t matter about the arranged marriage. He didn’t care whose idea it was. Their relationship had gone way beyond that. They’d bonded in a way he had never thought possible. All he thought about was her. He couldn’t even focus on the oil business. Didn’t she see that?