Somebody Like You (23 page)

C
ash and Brawley returned from a bathroom break to find the star-struck Dottie twisting and turning in her seat, taking it all in.

“Dottie, am I gonna have to track down a chiropractor for you before the night’s over?” Cash asked.

Surprised, she swiveled toward him. “Why would you have to do that?”

He chuckled. “The way you’re craning your neck, it’s bound to be sore.”

“You’re bad, Cash.”

When the talk turned to Maverick Junction, Cash noted Rachel’s polite yawns behind her hand. Yet he couldn’t help notice she was somewhat in awe of actually sharing a table with Annelise, the belle of the ball. Whenever one of the bigwigs came by, Rachel’s interest spiked, and she turned on the charm.

Annie, in contrast, chatted happily—with or without a rich or famous audience. She charmed him. Such an old-fashioned term. How many times had his grandfather used it in regards to Grandma Edith? Cash understood now a whole lot better exactly what Grandpa had been talking about.

People stopped at the table, most to meet Annie or have their picture taken with her. Some, though, were friends of his. When the senator walked away, Annie looked at Cash.

“You’re pretty shrewd, aren’t you?”

“Me?” he asked.

“Yes, you. You come off as the aw-shucks rancher. That’s not you at all.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Part of you, maybe. But there’s a whole lot more to you than that.” When she reached over and straightened his tie, he caught the twinkle in Dottie’s eyes. “You’re a man of many facets, Cash Hardeman.”

“Aren’t we all?”

She thought about that a minute, her full lips pursed. “I suppose so.”

“Well, then, there you go.”

The talk turned to Doc Gibson, Maverick Junction’s vet for the last forty years or so.

“I had him out a few days ago to look at one of my fillies.”

“He’s one of the best,” Brawley said. “I was lucky to train under him.”

Cash took a sip of his Scotch. “He’s making noises about retiring. I told him he can’t do that. We wouldn’t have a vet within a hundred-mile radius. But I think he’s serious this time.”

“Yeah, he’s called me a couple times.”

“Why are you even discussing this, Brawley? I mean, why in the world would he call you?” Rachel asked, twining her arm through his. “It’s not as if you’re thinking about ever going back to that—”

She cleared her throat. “Back to your hometown.” She ran her other hand along the length of his arm.

“No, we were talking, that’s all. Doc Gibson wanted my take on it. He wondered if I knew anyone who might be interested in something more rural.”

“Something more rural? That’s kind of an understatement, isn’t it?”

And there you go
, Cash thought. The reason why, when he’d reminded Odell of the annual barbecue, he hadn’t wanted to include his Dallas cheerleader. She’d be as out of her element as a newborn colt in a herd of mule deer, nothing in common but the most basic factors. And somehow, he didn’t see Rachel as being a basics kind of gal.

But, then, he’d been wrong about Brawley, hadn’t he? When his best pal had moved to the city, Cash had been certain he’d hate living in Dallas. Instead, he’d thrived here.

The band began to play, and Cash looked at Annie, nodded toward the dance floor. With a slow smile, she stood and took his hand.

She smelled so good. Relieved to finally have a chance to hold her close, Cash released the breath he swore he’d been holding all evening. With her in his arms, he didn’t care about the fancy, schmantzy room, the people who’d sucked up to Annie all night, the tie that still threatened to strangle him.

It was incredible. It was like making love while standing up. He kissed her ear, the top of her head.

He swore she purred.

He spotted Brawley and Rachel on the dance floor and knew he’d pegged the situation correctly. Their body language said it all. As far as Brawley was concerned, they were over, but Rachel still had a ways to go before she crossed the finish line. Tough spot to be in.

When the song ended, Cash walked Annie back to the table and stepped behind Dottie’s chair. “Hey, sweetheart, do me a favor? Come dance with me. Let’s show these people how it’s done.”

Brawley seated Rachel, then turned to Annie. He held out a hand, and the two men led their partners onto the floor.

It was a jitterbug. Cash twirled Dottie and delighted in her laughter. All the while, he watched Annie and Brawley. In addition to having a good seat when it came to horses, Annie moved well on her feet. She’d removed the sheer jacket, and her pale skin sparkled in the chandelier’s dimmed light. Had she dusted her shoulders with something? Or was the shimmer simply Annie?

Exhausted and smiling, they collapsed in their seats at the end of the dance.

“I’m giving up the ghost,” Dottie said. “You young people enjoy. It’s been a long day, and I’m tired. I’m going to turn in. Have fun. You certainly don’t need me here to do that.” She winked at Annie. “I won’t stay up waiting for you, honey—if you get my drift.”

Annie blushed.

Cash threw back his head and laughed. Standing, he pulled Dottie’s chair out for her. “Night, Dottie. Sleep well.” He gave her a quick buss on the cheek.

Brawley stood, too, and gave the woman a hug. “Night, sweetheart. It was so good to see you.”

“Oh.” Dottie clasped her hands in front of her. “This has been the best day. I can’t wait to tell my kids. Annie, honey, I can’t thank you enough.”

“It was nothing.”

“Bull. Don’t you even try feeding me that line.” She pirouetted. “All this.” Her hand trailed over her earrings, down the length of her dress. “You thought of everything.”

Giving Cash a hug, she whispered, “Don’t screw this up and don’t hurt her, or you’ll answer to me.”

The band played their last song of the night. Annie again thanked everyone involved, and they said their good nights.

“See you soon, Brawley?”

“You bet.”

As Cash walked out, hand in hand with Annie, he said, “You didn’t eat much tonight.”

“I never do at these things. About the time I eat something with spinach in it, someone will pop a picture of me with green between my teeth. The tabloids would love it.”

He laughed. “I suspected as much. Let’s go grab something.”

“At midnight?”

“You bet. My carriage hasn’t turned back into a pumpkin yet.”

“You don’t have a carriage here in Dallas. You left it back in Maverick Junction.”

“True.” He nodded toward Rufus. “Think it’ll be safe to take a short walk with the hulk there guarding us?”

She grinned and nodded.

“Good. I know a great dive not far from here.”

And that’s exactly what it was. He and Annie shared a greasy burger and even greasier fries. Heads turned at their formal wear, but no questions were asked.

Cash invited Rufus to sit with them, but he declined, taking a booth across from them. As if that provided them privacy, Cash thought. Still, he’d take what he could get.

“How did you know about this place?”

“I have my ways.” He grinned. “There’s more to me than just a pretty face.”

“You have such beautiful dimples. Hey, Rufus,” she called across the aisle. Several heads turned toward them. “He’s pretty, isn’t he? He likes to joke about it, but isn’t this man drop-dead gorgeous?”

Rufus grunted in response.

“I didn’t hear you,” she teased.

“Whatever you say, Ms. Montjoy.”

Cash shook his head. “You sure do know how to embarrass a guy, Annie. Pretty?” He sat back, a smug smile on his face. “I’m handsome.
Ruggedly
handsome.”

The elegant heiress snorted.

They took a slow walk back to the hotel. Even with the city lights, stars winked at them from the heavens. The temperature had dropped slightly. It was one of those nights when you had to be happy to be alive. Rufus kept a respectable distance behind them.

The doorman welcomed them back, and the three rode up to their floor in the elevator. Rufus stayed at his post at the end of the hall, giving them the appearance of privacy.

Cash walked Annie to her room.

“Thanks for the burger,” she said. “And thanks so much for this evening. You’ve been wonderful, Cash. It was my lucky day when I walked into Sally’s and found you.” She reached up to kiss him lightly on the cheek.

“No way,” he growled. “Rufus, close your eyes because I’m gonna kiss the girl.”

At the end of the hallway, Rufus covered his laugh with a fake cough.

Annie rolled her eyes. “That wasn’t very convincing, Rufus.”

“See if this is.” Catching her face in his hands, Cash turned slightly so his lips met hers. He deepened the kiss, lingered over it. Their tongues danced and mated. He needed her.

He broke the kiss, buried his face in her hair. “God, Annie, you smell so good. You’re incredibly beautiful. Come back to my room with me. Take pity on a starving man.”

“I can’t. Dottie—”

“Is asleep. You have separate bedrooms. She won’t know. She won’t care.”

“Cash, I can’t. You don’t understand.”

“I do understand.”

“No, you don’t. The photographers—”

“Screw the photographers.”

“No. No way. They’ll have us splashed over every page of every magazine, every newspaper, every tabloid, every TV show. You can’t imagine.”

“Annie, who cares? We’re two consenting adults. What we do doesn’t affect anyone else. It’s between you and me.”

“I care, Cash.” She thumped her chest, then lowered her voice. “I care. And it isn’t only us who would be affected. I have a company whose shareholders care. Perception can be everything. I make the front page of the tabloids and our shares drop. That’s money out of someone’s pocket. Someone who very well might not be able to afford it.”

He laid a hand on her shoulder. “You’re carrying a hell of a lot on these shoulders, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am.” Her expression intense, she said, “And remember, I came here to find my great-aunt. I came hoping to find a cure for my grandfather. That’s the reason I’m here, not to have a fling.”

Smarting, he stepped away. “I’m a fling?”

“No. I—bad word choice.” Her face softened. “Now I’ve hurt you.” She laid a hand on his arm, ran it up and down. “You’re more than that, so much more. You’re—I honestly don’t know what you and I are to each other. You said yourself this is temporary. I’ve never—this is all new to me, Cash.”

Her fingers played with the button on her jacket. “But first and foremost, I came to Texas to save Grandpa’s life. That has to be my priority. I can’t have some tabloid story get in the way of that.”

Her eyes misted with tears, and he felt like the world’s biggest jerk.

“Annie, I’m sorry. I know you love your grandfather as much as I loved mine. Losing him—well, it was devastating. I would have done anything to save him, absolutely anything. I really do understand.”

He kissed the top of her head. “Guess I let my testosterone get away from me. Started talking from the wrong part of my body. It’s just…I want you so damn badly.” He rested his forehead against hers.

Pulling away, he said, “You know, though, there’s no way in hell that anybody, photographer or not, is getting off that elevator on this floor tonight. Not with that guy standing there. Rufus isn’t about to let anybody get close to you.” He cocked his thumb at the bodyguard who, though fully alert, had judiciously turned his back.

His voice fell to a whisper. “At least tell me what you have on under this.” He fingered the sheer material of her dress.

“I—”

Without warning, he hooked a finger in the neckline and took a peek. “Very nice!”

“Cash!” Her head jerked up, and she looked quickly up and down the hallway, her gaze stopping on Rufus, then coming back to him.

A grin kicked up the corner of Cash’s mouth. “Darlin’, you look guilty as hell.”

“That’s embarrassment, not guilt. Shame on you. You’re so bad!” She smacked his fingers. “If anybody should look guilty, it’s you.”

“I’m not, though. That short glimpse of heaven was well worth the little love tap.” He laughed at her outraged expression. “I’m a man, Annie. A man who’s fraying at the edges. What can I say? And so you understand,” he said, grinning wider, “I’m not gonna feel the least bit guilty for this, either.”

In one unhurried move, he backed her against the wall, kissed her till he wondered that the hotel’s smoke detectors didn’t go off.

“Night, Annie. Sleep tight.” He raised his voice. “Rufus, take care of her.” With that he walked away and slid the keycard in his own door. Might be a good time to catch a cold shower. He sure as hell wouldn’t be going to sleep anytime soon.

W
hen the elevator doors opened the next morning, the paparazzi surged around Annelise. They’d had her staked out, waiting for the moment of attack. She kicked herself. She’d known better. Why hadn’t she ordered room service for breakfast? Dumb question. She knew why. Dottie, still excited by their adventure, had wanted to eat in the hotel’s famous restaurant, and Annie had let that sway her, cloud her better judgment.

The cameras started clicking the instant she and Dottie stepped from the elevator. Dottie, smiling broadly, fussed with her hair when she saw them and gave a wonderful impression of a great dame. Smiling despite herself, Annelise couldn’t help compare her to the Unsinkable Molly Brown. A brash woman with a huge heart.

At least she and Cash had the forethought not to ride down together. She could only imagine how that would have thrilled these bloodhounds. The rumors would have flown, hot and heavy.

Rumors? Or truths? Probably a little of both.

Giving them time to get seated in the restaurant, Cash rode down on a second, later elevator, hoping to throw the photographers off the scent. No such luck. The cameramen spied him the instant the elevator door opened—almost as if they’d been expecting it. Which, of course, they had been. They’d seen the two of them last night, talking, laughing, dancing. Leaving together. She’d made a mistake there. They should have left separately.

What she wouldn’t give to be back on the ranch today, currying Shadow and Moonshine instead of doing a tango with a pack of wolves.

For a split second, she read indecision on Cash’s face and realized he was trying to decide whether or not he should join them or find a different table.

She took matters into her own hands. She refused to let the press dictate who she shared a table with. Waving at him, she said, “Mr. Hardeman, Mrs. Willis and I are having breakfast. We haven’t ordered yet. Why don’t you join us?”

Cameras whirred and clicked, following his progress to their table. Short-tempered, he yanked out a chair and sat down heavily. “What the hell? Can’t Silas or Rufus put a stop to this?”

“Calm down.” She spoke quietly. “Rufus is taking care of our bill and making arrangements to have our things brought down. Silas will move them along if they don’t back off on their own in a couple of minutes. It’s a fine line. If we’re rude, they’ll run a story about the uppity heiress and her lover.”

Panicked eyes met hers. She patted his hand.

“If we’re courteous, they’ll still run a story, but it’ll be angled differently. I’m afraid, though, either way, you’ll probably play a rather large role in it.”

“I don’t care what they write,” he snarled. “I want them gone.”

By the time they’d ordered and the cameras were still in their faces even Dottie lost her patience. “Mind your manners, boys, and go away.” She made a sweeping motion with her hand, dismissing them. “We’re not doing anything newsworthy here. Eating our bacon and eggs. That’s it.”

“Speak for yourself, Dottie,” Annelise groused, thinking about the yogurt and whole-grain cereal she’d ordered and wondering if she maybe shouldn’t change it to some bacon and eggs. No, after that late burger last night, she’d best stick with something light.

Another flash blinded her.

Silas had had enough. He waded into the group. “Okay, guys, time to move on. Ms. Montjoy is having a private breakfast with friends. She cooperated with you last night, and you got some great shots. She let you take as many photos as you wanted at the fund-raiser. You’ve grabbed some more shots now this morning, though why the hotel allowed this, I’m not sure. I suggest you go find somebody else to pester.”

“This is a public restaurant,” one of the more daring paps argued.

“Yes, it is. So if you plan to check your camera, sit down, and order a meal, then by all means.” He waved toward an empty table across the room. “However, if you’re here to harass Ms. Montjoy, then it’s my job to see that doesn’t happen.”

“Who’s the guy?” the same reporter asked.

“What? Do I look like a Google search button?” Silas planted himself between the table and the paparazzi.

Rufus walked in, and the cameras scattered. He winked at Annelise. “You needed the big guns.” He shot a glance at Silas and jerked a thumb in his own direction. Grinning, showing a gold tooth, he said, “And that would be me.”

The look Silas sent him said everything.

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about, dear,” Dottie said. “They can’t possibly make anything out of this. Not with me here. It’s not like they caught photos of the two of you alone, having an intimate, romantic, morning-after breakfast.”

Annelise sighed. “Sweet, sweet Dottie. Have you ever heard of photo-shopping?”

“Oh.”

“They can do amazing things with any picture. You might find yourself smiling from the top of a camel.”

“I don’t like camels. They spit and growl. I saw one at the zoo. Mean things.”

Cash hooted. “Oh, Dottie, I love you.”

“What?” Red-faced, she said, “I know Annie was only using that as an example.” She took a bite of toast. “Eat your breakfast and be quiet.”

The trip home was uneventful. Once he was in the air, headed back to his ranch, Cash literally felt a weight lift off him. When he and Annie had talked before about her life, he’d commiserated with her, making inane remarks about understanding.

What a load of bull that had been. After less than twenty-four hours, he’d about caved under the intense pressure. Left to his own devices, he’d have plowed a fist into one of the noses that stuck itself in Annie’s business.

Rufus and Silas had followed them to the airport and saw them off. He supposed they were on a plane headed to Boston.

No such luck.

After they landed, he loaded the women and their luggage into his truck, stopped at Sadler’s while Dottie picked up a few things she needed, then headed for her house. Who sat waiting for them on her front porch? None other than Rufus and Silas. They looked as out of place as a vampire on the beach at high noon.

He pulled into the drive and got out, slamming his door. Walking around, he opened the doors for Annie and Dottie and helped them out.

“What are you guys doing here?”

“Our job.”

“We don’t need you.”

“Don’t want to argue with you, Mr. Hardeman, but that’s really not your decision to make. You’re not our boss. We’ve been hired to keep an eye on Ms. Montjoy, and that’s what we’ll do.”

A muscle ticced in his jaw. Turning his back on them, he said, “Dottie, I’ll have one of my guys bring your car in for you.”

“I appreciate that.” She stood on tiptoe, brushed her lips over his cheeks. Then she turned and wrapped Annie in a hug, kissing her, too. “I had the most wonderful time! I can’t wait to call Cora Mae and Tilly and tell them all about it.”

She giggled. “I think I’ll invite them over for some iced tea and cookies. Show them my dress and some of the pictures I took. They’ll both be peacock-green with envy.”

“I’m glad you had fun.” Annie kissed her back. “And I think you’re right. You should give your friends a call. Keep the celebration going.” She turned to Cash. “If you’ll give me a minute to change, I’ll ride out to the ranch with you. I left the Harley at Whispering Pines yesterday.”

“You don’t need to do that, Annie. You have to be tired. One of the guys can bring your bike in, too.” He glared at the muscle-bound bozo carrying Dottie’s suitcase inside for her.

Silas scooped up Annie’s. “Where to?”

“Upstairs. Just set it on the landing. I’ll take care of it from there.”

He nodded and picked up the case as though it weighed no more than a microchip.

Annie turned her attention back to Cash. “I want to go with you. I need to work today. And you know, with the picnic tomorrow you can use another set of hands.”

“Look, Annie.” He blew out a breath, took those hands in his, not quite sure how best to approach this.

She beat him to the punch. “Oh, no, you don’t. Don’t you dare even consider it.”

He read temper in her beautiful blue eyes.

“You think you’re going to start treating me like Annelise the heiress, instead of Annie the ranch hand?” She jammed a finger in his chest. “No way, buster.”

He laughed and slid his sunglasses onto the top of his head. “You are something else, Ms. Annelise Montjoy.”

“That would be Annie to you, Mr. Hardeman.”

And thank God for that
, he thought. Annelise might be out of his league, but Annie wasn’t. He could touch Annie. Kiss Annie. Maybe, just maybe, he could find a way to keep Annie around a little longer.

“Okay, then. Go get your wrangling duds on and stop wasting time. We’ve got work to do.”

Rufus and Silas followed them to the ranch, staying a couple of car lengths behind. Cash figured he might as well come to terms with it. And that meant no more trips to the pond for skinny-dipping. He could have cried.

“If you don’t mind, I need to make another stop in town, Annie.”

“It’s your dime, boss.”

“Funny.” He checked his rearview mirror. The black Olds trailed behind.

Her boss. Right. He doubted anybody would ever truly be the boss of Annie. She was a strong woman. Now that he’d had a taste of her world, seen her navigate it, he realized exactly how much determination it had taken for her to make this trip to Texas. She’d risked some serious ire. Some major consequences.

Yet she’d had the guts to do it. She’d ignored the wrath of her family, the threat to her own safety.

And she’d done it because of love.

What would it be like to be on the receiving end of that love?

“Cash?”

“Hmmm?”

“Where’d you go? I asked what you had to do—twice.”

“Sorry. Guess I got lost in my thoughts. I was making a mental list of everything we need to finish up before tomorrow.” He swore his nose grew with the lie. “I want to stop by the newspaper office. Mel ordered some fliers for me, and I need to pick them up.”

Several people walked along Main Street, and he and Annie waved to them. Luke and Marcy, who ran the town’s only preschool, stood outside Sally’s, no doubt ready for an early lunch—one that, since it was Saturday, wouldn’t include peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

He pulled up in front of the
Maverick Junction Daily
office. “Want to come in?”

“No, I think I’ll sit here and close my eyes for a minute.”

“Okay, be right back.” He hopped out, noting the Olds idling several parking spaces away. She’d told him the truth. It would be hell to try to sneak away for a roll in the hay with them shadowing her. A guy could lose interest pretty fast, he supposed.

He looked at it as more of a challenge. A dare.

When he stepped into the office, the smell of paper and ink welcomed him.

“Hey, buddy,” Melvin said. “Thought you might stop by today. Got your fliers for you.”

As he hunted beneath the counter for them, he said, “In case you’re interested, some PI came by this morning before I barely had the door unlocked. Asked all kinds of questions about you.” He set the box of fliers on the counter. “What’d you get yourself into?”

Cash saw red. This was because of his relationship with Annie. Somebody snooping into his business, and, so, in a roundabout way, into hers. “I’m not into anything. And I hope to hell that’s what you told them.”

Mel held up a hand. “I gave the man nothing. Nobody else in town did, either. You know how it works. I can beat up on my brother, but nobody else better lay a hand on him. Same goes with you.” He paused. “Got some interesting pictures over the UP wire service this morning.”

His stomach dropped.

“Who’d have guessed that new hire of yours was an oil baron’s grandkid? A Montjoy at that. And I, for one, would never have suspected you were so light on your feet. A regular twinkle toes. The shot of the two of you on the dance floor is priceless.”

He tossed a copy of it on the counter.

Cash stared at it, traced his finger over Annie. She was beautiful. Gorgeous. And in his arms. How the hell could he be mad about that?
Eat your heart out world.

He shrugged. “She warned me. I suppose every newspaper in the state’s gonna run this.”

“That would be my guess.”

“You’re not, are you?”

“Hell, yes. Figure I’ll sell a record number of papers today. I’m running off extras. Might even feature another one tomorrow to boost sales.”

“Bloodsucker.”

“Hey, pal, it’s news. Local interest stuff. Everybody in town’s interested in what you do when you fly off to the Big D.” He took a drink from the mug beside him. “Brawley was there, huh?”

“Geez! What’d they do? Send you a blow-by-blow of the night?”

“No, but if you’d like to provide any of the missing details—” One look from Cash and he held his hands up in surrender. “Just saying. Free press at its best.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Cash rubbed a hand over his chin. “Brawley might come to the barbecue tomorrow. I’m not so sure you’re still invited, though.”

“Sure I am. Wouldn’t be a picnic without me.”

“No pictures.”

“Wouldn’t think of it.”

“Right.”

“Brawley’s date looked pretty hot, too.”

With an evil grin, Cash leaned over the counter and whispered, “Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader.”

“Oh, man.” A look of envy flitted across Mel’s face. “She as hot as she looks in the photos?”

“Hotter.”

“He always did have all the luck. You tell him Doc’s thinking of retiring?”

“Brawley’s not interested in coming back to this one-horse town. Rachel the cheerleader’s words, not mine. Believe it or not, he likes the slick city life.”

“Where’d we fail him, Cash?”

“I don’t know. Might be those Dallas cheerleader outfits.”

He paid for his fliers and walked back to the truck, watching Rufus and Silas watch him. A private eye investigating him? If that didn’t take the cake. When the guy found out how boring Cash’s life was, he’d back off soon enough.

Unless he found out about Grandma Vivi and the will. Shit!

As he opened his truck door, he tried to throw it off. Annie didn’t need any more pressure or guilt, and she’d carry a load of both if she knew.