The Great Texas Wedding Bargain (11 page)

“I suspect it’s my fault. I didn’t know she’d get so excited. Are we taking Drew, too?”

“If you don’t mind. Mom can fix lunch and have it ready when we get back. With Drew up, it would be harder to do.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

A
HALF HOUR
later, Megan discovered just how patient Rick could be.

Torie had clapped her hands and hugged every puppy at the Jones ranch several times. The puppies, delighted with a new playmate, had jumped up and licked her face over and over again.

Still, Torie hadn’t made her selection.

“Sweetie, you have to choose which puppy you want to take home,” Megan urged. “We can’t take any more of Mr. Jones’s time.”

Torie giggled as another puppy licked her. But she proved she’d heard her aunt. Putting a finger to her rosebud lips, she said, “I want flower.”

Rick squatted down. “Flower?”

“That one,” Torie said, pointing to the smallest puppy.

“That’s the runt of the litter,” Herk Jones warned.

“He looks healthy,” Rick ventured.

“
She
is. But she won’t get as big as the others. Won’t make a good huntin’ dog.”

“Perfect,” Rick assured the man. “The dog is a pet for Torie.”

“Well, I reckon the runt won’t cost as much,” the older man said, rubbing his chin.

Megan jerked her head up.
Rick was paying for the dog?
She’d assumed Mr. Jones was giving them the puppy.

She couldn’t see how much Rick paid the man, so she made a note to ask him later.

Torie gathered the puppy she’d chosen, squeezing it against her chest. Even though it was the smallest puppy, it was almost too big for the little girl to carry.

Rick bent down and scooped girl and dog into his arms. “Ready?”

“Yes, Flower and me are ready. Thank you, Mr. Man,” she said over her shoulders to Mr. Jones.

The man grinned and waved them off.

Once both children were buckled into their seats, with the trembling puppy sitting between them, they set off for home.

Megan couldn’t help smiling at the antics of the puppy and the two children in the backseat. Drew was as enthusiastic as Torie, stretching in his car-seat to reach the dog.

“Thank you so much,” she murmured to the man beside her.

“It will keep her busy while we’re gone Monday. I told Mac to make us reservations with his for the flight early Monday morning.”

Megan’s smile disappeared. “You talked to Mac?”

“Yeah.”

“When?”

He gave her a cautious look. “While I was in town this morning.”

“Did you discuss the—the situation with him?” Her insides were churning.

“A little. I had a couple of questions.”

“You had no business doing that. Mac is
my
attorney, and he shouldn’t have discussed it with you.” She’d watched her sister’s husband take control over her life. Nothing Andrea did had remained in her control. Megan wouldn’t allow that to happen to her.

“Calm down, Megan. He didn’t reveal anything much.”

“I will make the decisions about this case, Rick. It has nothing to do with you.”

“I think it does. I’m your husband.”

“No, you’re not! And you don’t make the decisions. I do! I’ll decide if we’re flying to Dallas!” She knew she was out of control, but fear boiled up in her.

“Okay, but if we drive, you’ll have to share a bed with me, because I’m not sleeping on any damned couch this time.”

Saturday Megan apologized.

She served the crow along with breakfast, the one time of the day when she and Rick were alone. “I lost control. I panicked, and I’m sorry.”

“What caused you to panic?” he asked.

“My…my sister’s husband took over her life. She wasn’t allowed to make even the smallest decision. He’d contradict her even if it wasn’t what he wanted. I have to make the decisions. You’ve been wonderful, but if things go wrong—”

“Fair enough,” Rick agreed. “I wasn’t trying to take over, but I guess it was a little insensitive of me to talk to Mac without your knowledge.”

“Thank you,” she murmured, feeling he’d been more than generous. “I’d like us to fly with Mac Monday morning, if you don’t mind. I’ll arrange for the tickets.”

“I never told Mac to change the arrangements. He said he’d take care of the tickets and bill us. So don’t worry about it.” He paused, then added softly, “Unless you want to contradict me just to prove me wrong.”

Her head snapped up, realizing he was repeating her words about Drake. Was she doing that?

A shudder shook her. “No. No, I don’t want to do that. Thank you for making the arrangements.”

He nodded and continued to eat as if they hadn’t argued.

She’d prepared a special breakfast, making pancakes, frying bacon and cutting up fresh fruit. As she’d learned early on, the way to Rick’s heart, or forgiveness, was through his stomach.

“Good breakfast,” he said, wiping his face with his napkin.

“Would you like more? I can fix—”

“No,” he assured her with a smile. “I won’t be able to get on a horse if I eat any more.”

He shoved himself back from the table.

“Um, I’m going in to work this morning,” she said quickly.

“I thought you were off until Monday?”

“I was, but I need Marybelle to work for me because of the trip to Fort Worth. So I traded with her.”

“Okay, will your mother be okay with the kids?”

“With the kids and Flower?” she added with a wry smile.

“Oh, yeah. How’s Flower doing?”

A little yip outside the kitchen door was his answer.

Megan crossed over and opened the door for the puppy. While she had quickly learned her way to the kitchen, the pup hadn’t quite learned to push her way through the door.

“I’ve got to let her out at once. We’re working on the housebreaking, but—” Megan stopped because Flower was demonstrating her lack of training on the kitchen floor.

“Damn,” Rick muttered. “I’ll get the mop.”

T
HEIR FLIGHT
left at six-ten Monday morning. Megan got up at four-thirty to give herself plenty of time to make sure she looked as professional as possible.

It suddenly occurred to her that she hadn’t discussed Rick’s appearance with him. Would he have a suit? When they went to church yesterday, he’d worn pressed jeans, a shirt and a tweed sport coat, standard attire in Cactus.

And it would be just fine, she assured herself. Rick was a good, honest man, unlike her brother-in-law. Whatever he wore would be fine.

That determined decision made his appearance all the more of a shock.

When he came to the kitchen at five, she was pouring two glasses of orange juice. Fortunately she hadn’t yet picked them up to carry them to the table.

Standing before her was Rick, looking like the perfect cover model for
GQ
magazine. A navy pinstriped suit, a red and blue silk tie, a crisp white shirt, a gold watch that looked like—a Rolex.

“You have a Rolex?” she blurted out.

He looked at his watch in surprise. “Er, yeah. It was a gift.”

She immediately decided it had been a gift from his wife. And she hated it! She was so preoccupied with his watch that it was several minutes after they sat down to eat the breakfast she’d prepared that she remembered the rest of his appearance.

“That’s a nice suit. You look very…very sophisticated.”

“Thanks. So do you.”

She blushed. She’d tried to look as professional as possible. But her best suit was the one she’d worn at the wedding, and she felt sure Rick had recognized it.

He said nothing else, however, concentrating on his food.

She shouldn’t have been surprised. Food was important to him. She managed a few bites, but she found the coming events of the day too distracting to eat more.

“We’d better go soon. Hurry and eat.”

“I’m finished.”

“Meg, you didn’t eat enough to feed a bird.”

“I can’t,” she insisted, carrying her plate to the sink.

He followed her. As he put his plate in the sink, Megan reached over to brush a biscuit crumb from his suit.

“That was very wifely,” he told her with a smile.

It was the nicest conversation they’d shared since their argument. But it made her nervous. “I didn’t mean—”

“I’m teasing. Let’s go.”

The ride to the airport was silent. Megan’s mind remained focused on the children and how things would turn out.

They picked up Mac at his office and drove to the small airport nearby. Soon they were in the air. Mac and Rick kept up a running conversation, but Megan only grew more and more nervous.

When Rick reached out and took her hand, giving it a warm squeeze, she should’ve told him she could manage without his help. Instead, she held on for dear life, finding the contact helpful in keeping her courage up.

After they reached Fort Worth, Mac picked up the rental car and the three of them drove to the courthouse.

“How long will we have to wait?” Megan whispered.

“We have about half an hour before we’re to appear in court,” Mac said, consulting his watch.

“There are a lot of people around,” Megan said with a frown.

Rick quickly said, “Mac, why don’t you take Megan on in. I’ve got a phone call to make.”

Megan watched as the two men seemed to be communicating something, but she wasn’t sure what. Mac took her arm and led her into the courtroom without any more conversation.

Just as they entered, there seemed to be a concerted rush of people behind them, but the door closed before she could be sure. “Is something exciting going on out there? Should we have a look?” she asked.

“Best not. We wouldn’t want to get hung up on something and not be on time. The judge would frown on that.” Mac ushered her to a front pew. “Besides, I want to go over a few questions again before we start.”

Since nothing mattered more than the children, Megan immediately cooperated. Who cared what was happening outside? Only the children mattered.

R
ICK ANSWERED
the reporters’ questions patiently. When he’d dropped out of sight a year ago, there had been speculation about his plans, but interest had died down. Now that he’d surfaced, the reporters wanted to know where he’d been.

He steered the conversation to the hearing, explaining his concern, in subtle ways, hoping to keep their interest on the events to take place.

The reporters had done their homework and knew the basic facts about the case. Rick encouraged them to report the verdict and interview the judge. When an older couple approached the courtroom, accompanied by a man who was obviously their attorney, he pointed out the probability that they were the Moodys.

He remained outside the courtroom until almost nine o’clock. If he went in early, some of the reporters might follow him and ask questions in front of Megan.

While he wanted to do everything he could to help the children remain with Megan, he didn’t want her to know of his wealth. His ex-wife, impatient with his long work hours and insufficient income, though it was certainly more than the average family, had left him for a wealthier man.

Once he’d sold the company for the phenomenal amount printed in all the papers, she’d dumped her new love and come running back to him. Cupboard love, his mother would’ve said. He wanted none of it.

And he didn’t want Megan to know about his wealth. After their annulment, he’d explain. But not before.

He watched the Moodys, clearly distressed by all the attention their case was receiving. Rick cynically wondered if that was because they were private people, or because they feared it would affect the outcome.

When the mayor appeared, a few minutes later, Mr. Moody stepped forward to be greeted. The mayor offered him a curt nod and continued on to Rick, welcoming him with a smile.

“Rick, it’s good to see you again. I’d like to take you to lunch after the hearing. There are several wonderful opportunities you might be interested in.”

“Thank you, Mayor, but I’ve got to get back as soon as possible. My wife doesn’t like to leave the children any longer than necessary.”

“Yes, yes, a dedicated mother. How wonderful. But I’d hoped—”

“Why don’t I have my business manager give you a call? If he thinks they’re good opportunities, then I’ll schedule another visit.” He didn’t want to start another company, but he’d missed some of the aspects of business. He might consider running something from a distance.

And he wanted to keep the mayor on his side.

“It’s almost nine. I’d better join my wife and attorney. Thanks for coming, sir.”

“My pleasure. We want to serve our citizens well.”

Several reporters crowded around, and Rick was able to slip away. When he joined Megan and Mac, he nodded briefly to Mac, hoping to convey the news that everything was going as planned. Just before the court clerk asked everyone to rise, the Moodys and their attorney, the Mayor, and the reporters entered the courtroom.

“I think we should take our places up front,” Mac said hurriedly and led Megan and Rick to one of the tables on the other side of the bar.

“There are the Moodys,” Megan whispered, and Rick took her hand in his.

Frankly, he didn’t see how any man in good conscience could choose such stiff, cold people over Megan for anything, much less the care of two small children. But maybe he was prejudiced.

The judge entered the courtroom and settled into his chair before he looked up. He stared as he noted the crowded courtroom. With a dip of his head he acknowledged the presence of the mayor and the reporters before shooting what appeared to Rick to be a panicked look toward the Moodys.

Megan had been right to be worried. Rick suspected the man had intended to run roughshod over Megan and rule in the Moodys’ favor without much consideration for the children’s interests.

He’d figured the only thing that would stop him would be publicity over a biased decision. After all, he had to run for reelection. And if he wasn’t fair, his opponent would receive a hell of a campaign contribution to help him win.

Mac was smooth in his presentation, stressing the mental health of the children, and the temporary nature of the custody, not hinting at the permanent custody request he’d already filed for his clients in west Texas. Then he put Megan on the stand and questioned her about the welfare of the children.

Though she was nervous, Rick was proud of how well she handled herself. Rick also took the stand to assure the judge he loved the children also. As he prepared to leave the witness chair, the Moodys’ attorney questioned him sharply about their recent marriage.

After Rick answered briefly and in an unconcerned manner, the man then presented the Moodys’ case. When he put the Moodys, first the husband, then the wife, on the witness stand to request their grandchildren, Mac pointed out their lack of concern for the children both before and after Andrea’s death.

Several of the reporters muttered when Mrs. Moody admitted she’d never even called her grandchildren. Mac asked the woman questions about Torie, but she couldn’t give any particulars about her. She couldn’t even give Drew’s exact birth date.

There was a stirring in the courtroom as several reporters made notes. The mayor cleared his throat, and the judge looked nervous.

Rick squeezed Megan’s hand.

Finally, the judge ruled in Megan’s favor, stating that he saw no reason to overturn the ruling of temporary custody, though he would order a visit from social services before the ruling was final.

“But Frank, you promised—” Mr. Moody protested, standing. His lawyer dragged him down into his seat before he could finish his statement.

The judge hurriedly rapped his gavel and left the courtroom. The reporters edged forward, wanting to question Mr. Moody on what exactly the judge had promised.

Mac and Rick, with Megan between them, slipped out the side door and hurried to their rental car.

“We won!” Megan enthused after they got in. “I can’t believe it. We won!”

“Hey, you had a good attorney,” Rick said.

“Those reporters didn’t hurt, either,” Mac said dryly, shooting a glance Rick’s way.

“Why were they there?” Megan asked, frowning. “This case wasn’t important—”

“I think it’s an election year. They were probably investigating the judge,” Rick suggested.

“Well, I’m grateful, whatever the reason.” She slumped against the backseat. “I’m so relieved!”

“How about we grab an early lunch and then catch the next flight out?” Mac suggested.

“Oh, yes,” Megan agreed. “I’m suddenly starving. Oh, and I need to call Mom as soon as we find a phone.”

Mac reached into his pocket. “Here, use my cell phone.”

Megan did so. By the time she’d talked to Faith, Mac had pulled into a famous Tex-mex restaurant in Fort Worth.

During their quick lunch, Rick was relieved to have the true Megan back, the one who smiled and teased and made his heart beat faster.

On the plane home, she insisted she didn’t need him to hold her hand. But as soon as the plane got in the air, she fell asleep, and her head slipped to Rick’s shoulder.

Mac, seated on the other side of her, waited a couple of minutes before asking, “When are you going to tell her?”

“About what?”

“About your background.”

“Never if I can manage it. It doesn’t affect her.”

Mac raised one eyebrow, a silent comment.

“You know the truth about our marriage, Mac, whether you want to admit it or not. We have an agreement. That’s all it is. When it’s over, then we’ll part company.”

“Uh-huh,” Mac muttered, disbelief obvious.