When You're Back(70)

Reese


The door to my office opened after a brief knock, and I looked up to see Aida walk into the room. I hadn’t seen her since we had returned home. Apparently, my luck had run out; she’d come to find me.

“Hello, Aida,” I said as she took a seat across from the desk.

“I thought we could talk privately. I have a few things I’d like to say to you. Things you need to hear, because from what I can tell, you’re not that smart,” she began.

Her insult stung, as if I’d been slapped. I’d heard those words a lot in my life.

“I heard you were pregnant, but I see you’re still not wearing a ring on your finger. Mase isn’t proposing. That should tell you something. If he was as in love with you as he claims, you’d be engaged.” She smiled at me with steel in her eyes. “When a man wants you, he puts a claim on you, one the world can see. You don’t have that, do you? Nope. Think about that, Reese. Think about all the sweet things he says and how he doesn’t follow through. Hooking him with a baby isn’t going to work. Bad idea.” She stood up and tossed her hair over her left shoulder.

I had nothing to say. I didn’t want to believe a word she said, but it was hard not to. Charlie had basically said the same thing. Was this my stupidity?

“When he gets bored and moves on, I’ll be waiting for him. I’ve been waiting for him since I was a little girl. You’re not taking him away from me. He’s just sidetracked. I’ll get him in the end. Enjoy him while you’ve got his attention.”

I watched as she shot me a triumphant smile and left my office with a slam of the door.

I sat staring at the closed door. Mase loved me. I knew he did. So why did her words sting? Why did I let her get to me like this? She was angry that I had Mase. That was all this was. I would not get upset and worry about it. I wouldn’t.

But I did for the rest of the day.


When I walked out to see if Mase had arrived to pick me up, I was surprised to find Charlie sitting in his truck instead. He’d never sent his stepdad to pick me up before. After last night, I was nervous about getting into the truck with him. I was surprised Mase had sent him, of all people.

Gripping my purse tightly, I walked to the passenger side and climbed inside. “Thanks for coming to pick me up,” I said, feeling awkward.

Charlie nodded. “My pleasure. Besides, we need a minute to talk. I was out of line last night.”

He sure was. I didn’t reply, though.

He backed up the truck to head out to the main road. My grip on my purse turned my knuckles white as I stared at the beige dashboard in front of me. “Seems I was speaking without knowing all the specifics. I judged Mase when he didn’t deserve that. He’s a good boy. He’s always been so dependable, and I felt like he was letting you down. I didn’t want to see him make a mistake and screw up his life. Wasn’t my place to say so, though, and I’ve apologized to him, and he’s explained some things to me. I was wrong. I hope you can forgive me.”

I nodded my head. “Yes, of course,” I said. I hadn’t been mad at him anyway. Just embarrassed. I was glad he’d apologized to Mase, though.

“Good, good. Glad to hear it,” he said, and he slowed down to drive through the gates of the Colt ranch. “Maryann ain’t real happy with me right now. I’ve got some making up to do where she’s concerned. But knowing the two of you forgive me, I think I have a chance to make my woman happy again.”

Maryann loved Charlie. I had no doubt she would forgive him easily enough. I knew how easy it was to forgive a man you loved. Especially if he was truly sorry.

“Oh, one more thing,” Charlie said as he pulled up in front of his house. “Mase left this for you. I think he needs you to get something out of the stables. I’ll just let you out here.”

I took the white envelope he was holding out for me. “Uh, all right. Thanks,” I said, wondering what in the world this was about. I didn’t know where anything was in the stables, and the sun was already setting. Walking up to the house in the dark across this huge ranch wasn’t my favorite idea.

Charlie nodded and opened his door, then got out. I did the same as I opened the envelope to find a copy of a receipt. There was a red circle drawn around a date. It was exactly three weeks ago. The item and the price were both blacked out, but the store was Tiffany.

I had started walking toward the stables when I saw flickering candles to the left. Stopping, I turned to see that the path that led up to our cabin was lit by candles in jars. There were hundreds of them flickering in the setting sun. It was beautiful. What was going on? I started to put the receipt back but noticed another piece of paper. There was a note in Mase’s handwriting: Follow the candles.