Page 58 of Cruelest Contract (Storm’s Eye Ranch)

“Quite the fortress,” she mutters, but when she looks at me she pastes on an enthusiastic smile. “I have to say, I do sleep more soundly here with all these layers of masculine protection.”

“I’ve got plenty of protection, beautiful,” boasts Tye. “Don’t you worry.”

“We’re not talking about the same thing,” Alice says with an eye roll. “Cecilia, will Julian be returning before I leave on Sunday?”

Tye isn’t finished butting into the conversation. “You don’t need Julian,” he insists. “You’ve got me.”

“Hush.” Alice picks up his cowboy hat and drops it over his face.

“I have no idea when Julian will be back,” I admit.

Alice knows me too well. She hears the bite in my voice and pauses. In a rare event, she appears to be at a loss for words but I don’t miss the brief tightening of anger around her mouth.

“Well,” she finally says with a strained smile, “it’s his loss if he misses out on my sparkling wit.”

“It’s not enough that you’ve inflicted it on the rest of us?” Getty says, having crept closer with no warning.

Tye knocks the hat off his face and busts up laughing.

Alice’s hazel eyes turn turbulent. “The only thing I’d care to inflict on you, Gaetano, is a less odious personality and a crumb of fashion sense.”

He’s unimpressed, walking his eyes all over her with a detached expression. “Not interested in a collar and leash, princess. Wouldn’t match my boots. Try the nearest office park if you’re hunting for a passive pussy in a suit.”

“Go play with your knife,” she snaps.

He chuckles. “So that’s what turns you on. What else do you want to watch me do?”

“Walk in in the opposite direction and stay gone.”

He tips his hat up. “Whatever your pleasure.” He’s whistling while he takes a stroll toward the house.

Alice simmers for a few seconds and then turns her head to watch him. A flush creeps up her neck and her eyes skim over the back of his tall, powerful body.

“I really hope that’s not a drop of drool at the corner of your mouth,” I say.

She jerks her eyes away from Getty’s ass. “I’m just hungry.”

“We ate lunch half an hour ago.”

“Which means it’s time for dessert.” Alice springs to her feet and reaches out a hand to help me up. Between my growing belly and my bad knee, this turns into a project. Tye quickly jumps up to assist. At this rate, I’ll need to be moved via crane by the third trimester.

However, once I’m upright I have no trouble walking. Alice pounces on my suggestion to take a drive to Vigilance, where I promise she can find both art supplies and dessert.

When we run into Fort, he decides to go with us. My brief hope that we can avoid traveling with an entourage of Mafia goons is dashed but at least they follow in a separate car. Alice turns around a few times to observe the gleaming black SUV persistently following at a respectable distance.

After cookies and fudge at Sugar Jean’s, we visit the Vigilance Drugstore for Alice’s sketchbook.

Behind the register is a familiar blonde woman.

I’ve learned her name is Katie and she graduated from high school a couple of years before Julian.

She greets us with eagerness but all she gets from me is a cool nod.

I haven’t forgotten that she’s the one who gossiped about the purchase of my pregnancy tests.

While we’re in town we also buy some flower bouquets to leave at Teresa’s grave. All the wildflowers died out when summer ended. It’s late afternoon when we return to the ranch.

Alice is deeply moved by Teresa’s gravesite. Her eyes fill with tears when she observes the solemn conduct of Tye and Fort while they pay their respects to their mother. She stands beside the stone angel and gazes up at the tranquil face.

“For you, Teresa,” she says with a quaver in her voice. She lovingly sets her bouquet of vibrant daisies down and rubs her arms as she backs away.

“How old were they at the time?” she asks me in a near whisper.

“Julian is the oldest and he was five. Fort was just barely a year. Tye was four.”

There’s a pinch of distress between her brows. “And Getty?”

“Getty was three. He was home that day. He doesn’t talk about it.”

She nods and swallows hard. “Oh.”

As we leave, I glance over my shoulder one last time at the stone angel.

This might be my last walk over here for quite a while.

Lately I’m feeling tired and my knee is sore.

But I’ll miss these visits. I’ve made it a point to come here once a week.

While the angel is still within sight, I blow her a kiss goodbye.

Alice grows concerned by my slow pace as we walk to the stables.

I keep yawning the whole time we’re hanging out Luna.

I’ve been getting sleepy in the afternoon and I’ll often take a nap on the sofa in my office.

This week I gave myself time off bookkeeping chores in honor of Alice’s visit.

Now I feel guilty about yearning for naptime.

“Go rest,” she urges. “You are growing entire people inside you. It looks exhausting.”

“It is.” I stifle a yawn. “What will you do?”

Tye throws a heavy arm over her shoulders. “I’ll keep her busy. Let’s go for a ride, Alice.”

She makes a face and ducks to escape his grip. “Find something else to mount, Tiberius.”

He attempts to look hurt. “I meant a horseback ride. Why is your mind always in the gutter?”

Fort snorts with laughter and I leave them all on the front porch to work out their differences. There’s little point in ordering Tye to behave. He won’t. But Alice can handle herself.

I haven’t made it past the foyer when Mel calls my name from down the hall. She bustles into view with a smile on her face. “You have a surprise sitting in your office.”

My heart leaps. Sometimes Julian returns with no notice. There is suddenly nothing I want more than to feel my husband’s strong arms around me. A burst of energy sends me speed walking all the way to my office.

The door is unlocked and I throw it open, already convinced that I’ll find Julian waiting.

Instead, the room is empty and the only change is the addition of a massive pink flower arrangement sitting on top of my desk.

A brief cloud of hope sinks like a leaden weight. I trudge over to the desk and pluck out the white envelope with my name on it.

Thinking of you. Regards, Julian.

Well, he did send flowers. That was nice. Even if the message is like something you’d write to a hospitalized coworker.

Before I realize what I’m doing, the card gets savagely crumpled in my hand. I throw it on the floor. I even kick it away.

“You hate flowers now?” says a voice at my back. “I can’t keep track.”

I whirl around and find Getty casually taking up all the space in the open doorway and watching me vandalize Julian’s note.

Maybe pregnancy hormones stimulate honesty. I don’t know how else to explain what comes out of my mouth next.

“I don’t want more fucking flowers!” I blurt out, way too loudly. “I just want my husband to show up!”

Getty stares at me. My cheeks burn with embarrassment.

“Forget I said that,” I grumble, wishing with all my might that I could retract the outburst.

“Said what?” he asks with a shrug and promptly disappears.

My legs feel sluggish as I plod over to the sofa and sink into the soft cushions.

Louisa tiptoes into the room and immediately jumps up to join me.

She can’t fit in my lap anymore so she settles for snuggling close to my side while I absently stroke her soft fur.

I don’t even have the energy to get up and close the door.

Louisa’s whiskers twitch when a hot tear rolls down my cheek.

Quickly, I wipe it away before any more can fall.