Authors: Paige Cameron
Tags: #Romance
She tried to think of another excuse but none came to mind. Then they were there, and Bern opened the door for her. Lann waved from the back. He sat at a side table.
“Look who I found. She ran right into me,” Bern said as they got to the table.
“I really don’t want to interfere with your lunch. I hadn’t planned to stop and eat.” Before she could move toward the door, Lann stood and pulled back the chair beside him.
“We’ll enjoy having your company. We can talk all we want back at the ranch.”
Seeing no way out, Bliss sat in the chair beside Lann, and Bern sat across from her.
“Tell Lann your good news,” Bern encouraged her.
Excitement was still bubbling inside her, so she told Lann about her shop and the apartment. “I’m going out on my own, finally. I’d planned to do this two years ago, but Alan and the children needed me.” At the thought of telling her brother, Bliss looked down and clasped her hands.
“Alan isn’t going to like your plans,” Lann commented.
She looked up at him and ran her tongue across her dry lips. A light flashed in his green eyes, and they shone like emeralds.
Glancing down again, she answered him. “No, Alan will be angry, but that’s his attitude most of the time anymore.”
“Are you afraid he’ll hit you again?”
“What?” Bern looked at her. “Ah, I see it now. You’ve covered it well.”
“It’s the first time he’s ever hit me and the last.”
“Let one of us be with you when you tell him. Men who hit women will continue. He’s gotten past the first shock of hitting you. Next time he’ll find it easier to do and to justify.”
“You speak with authority. Have you known other men who hit women?” Bliss asked Lann.
“Not my people, but over the years I’ve met a few. A friend of mine married such a man. I tried to help her. She kept going back until he killed her.”
“I’m sure Alan won’t go any further. I’ll be fine.”
The waitress came and took their orders. Bliss was happy to have the men distracted from discussing Alan. She was sorry they’d gotten such a bad impression of him.
When the waitress left, Bern smiled at her. “Let’s talk on happier subjects. What kind of shop are you opening?”
She was certain her face went bright red. She’d best get over being embarrassed as some of her customers would likely be men.
“A lingerie shop. There isn’t one within fifty miles of here. I’ll also sell other items on the side, like fancy soaps. That sort of thing. If it goes well, I’ll expand and open an adjoining store for shoes and handbags.”
“You’ll be quite the entrepreneur,” Bern said. “My guess is the women in this town will love you for bringing more feminine shops to the area.”
“I hope so. I’m sinking every cent I have into my business. If I fail, I’ll have to go back to the big city to work.”
“You won’t fail,” Lann said. “You’ll get some extra money if I can talk your brother into selling the ranch to me. Would you be agreeable to the sale?”
“What my brother told you earlier today was true. Dad tied up the ranch where I have no part in the decision making. And Alan doesn’t have to give me a cent until he feels I have a good reason to need it. The shop wouldn’t come under that heading.” She took a sip of the tea the waitress had brought. “That’s why I’m going to the bank after lunch.”
She caught Lann and Bern looking at each other and without words, they both nodded.
Hmm, what was that about? I shouldn’t have mentioned the bank. I don’t usually rattle off to people I don’t know well.
The waitress put their plates down and checked to see if they needed anything else.
“We’re fine. Thank you,” Bern told her. He glanced at Bliss’s plate. “Is that salad going to be enough for you?”
Bliss looked from his plate with a big hamburger, fries, and coleslaw to Lann’s duplicate order. “I like salads. This will be plenty. You two are obviously still growing boys,” she said with a laugh.
Lann leaned close and whispered in her ear. “We may be growing, but we aren’t boys, sweetheart.”
Bern heard him and shook his head agreeing. “We’d love to show you the difference,” he added in a soft voice.
“Stop, you two. Every time I get around you my face turns bright red.”
“I love teasing you, but there is a lot of truth in the fun.” Lann pulled back and started to eat his burger. For a few minutes the table was silent as they enjoyed the food. They’d almost finished when the door opened, and her sister-in-law, Addie, along with her husbands, Pete and Bob, walked in. She immediately saw Bliss and headed her way.
“Bliss, we were going to ride out to the ranch and try to see you without running into Alan.”
“I’m surprised, but glad to see you in town rather than at the ranch. What are you doing here? Oh, let me introduce you first to Mr. Aznar and Mr. Quinlain. Mr. Quinlain bought the Huggins spread and would like to buy our ranch. But you know Alan, he’ll never agree.” She introduced Addie and her husbands to Bern and Lann.
“I don’t want to interrupt your meal. We were going to eat before driving to the ranch.”
“I’m finished. If Lann and Bern don’t mind, I’ll join you at your table, and we can talk. I have a lot to tell you.”
“We have news, too.”
Bern and Lann stood as Bliss got up. “Thank you for lunch.”
“Perhaps we can do this again after you’ve moved to town,” Lann suggested.
Bliss looked from him to Bern. They were so handsome in different ways. Bern was blond and had slate-colored eyes, a contrast to Lann’s dark hair and green eyes. A woman would have to be insane to say no. But she was wary.
“We’ll see. I’ll be too busy for lunch breaks at the beginning.” Bliss waved and went to join Addie, where she, Pete, and Bob had sat.
She saw Bern and Lann pay their bill and wave as they left. Her conflicting feelings of relief and disappointment to see them go worried her. Part of her wanted to run and catch them, agree to meet for lunch, and pursue the first interest she’d had in any male for a number of years. But the relief made her hesitate. Which was for the best. She had a move to make, a store to open, and finances to juggle. There was no time or place for men in her life.
Bliss sat beside Addie. “How are you?”
“Missing my kids like crazy. We’re going to change our battle plan.”
“Addie, if you tell Bliss, you’ll put her in an awkward position since she lives with her brother,” Pete warned.
“Oh, I hadn’t thought about that angle.”
“I won’t be living with Alan much longer. I’m going to open my shop and live above it.”
“Does Alan know yet?” Addie asked.
“He will later today.”
“Who will care for our children?” Addie wrinkled her forehead.
“There is an older lady, Mrs. Turner. She needs a job, and she’ll be a great nanny. The kids will love her.”
“I remember meeting her. She baked all those good pies and cakes for all the sales the church had to make money.”
“That’s her. Her husbands have both died, and she’d like to make some extra money. I called her early this morning. She’s agreeable at a very reasonable salary.”
“Alan would never agree even if she offered to work for a dollar.” A worried look had come across Addie’s face.
Bliss leaned forward. “Addie, did Alan ever hit you?”
Addie drew back and glanced quickly at her husbands. They nodded their heads.
“Yes, I’ve told Pete and Bob, but I didn’t want to disillusion you about your brother.”
“Don’t worry, I’m already disillusioned. He hit me yesterday.”
“What?” Addie asked.
“He was upset, but that isn’t an excuse. I was going to wait another few months before trying to open my shop, but after that occurred, I decided today was the day to change my life.”
“Well, if it includes those two handsome men you were having lunch with, I’d say go for it.” Addie smiled.
“They’re nice, but I don’t need any more men to put up with after my experience with Alan. I’m going solo.”
I hope. If I can keep control of my hormones.
She crossed her fingers under the table and hoped she hadn’t lied.
“Don’t let him spoil things for you. I found Pete and Bob, or they found me, and I’ve never been happier.” She glanced across at her husbands. “People in town may think I’m a terrible mother, but Alan was beating me on a regular basis. I knew if I didn’t run away, he’d hurt me bad.”
“Why didn’t you tell the courts about this?”
“I hoped we could have an amicable divorce and our children would never have to know what a bully their father was, and then we could share custody. But I’m going to tell the courts here in town and get full custody. If he’s hitting you, Clara and the boys may be next.”
“Alan isn’t that bad, I hope, but I don’t blame you for taking action against him. I feel sorry for him. He grew up under Father’s iron hand and has become just like him.”
Bliss looked at her watch. “I have to go. There are several more errands I need to run before returning home. Are you staying here for a few days?”
“Yes, we’ll be in touch. Good luck with your plans.”
She waved good-bye to them and headed to the bank. Then she’d check the apartment and go home to pack her clothes. Once she told Alan, she was certain she’d have to leave.
Mr. Black, the bank manager, saw her right away. “Come in, Bliss. It’s good to see you. You haven’t been by in quite a while.” He ushered her into his office. “Have a seat,” he said as he walked around his desk and sat facing her.
“I’ll come right to the point, Mr. Black. I’m going to open a lingerie shop, and I need a business loan. This is my plan.” She handed him the same papers Mr. Crowdy had seen. Then she sat back to wait while he studied them. But Mr. Black looked worried and handed the papers back to her.
“I’m sorry, Bliss. You have no collateral. I can’t take the risk at this time.”
She wrinkled her forehead. “I don’t understand. I own part of our ranch. Use that.”
“I know how the will is written. You may never see your money out of it for two reasons, the way the will was written, and your brother has already used the ranch for collateral up to the limit.”
“My brother owes a large amount to the bank?” Bliss sat back in shock. No wonder he had a short temper. She knew the lawyers were costing him a lot of money, but she’d never expected he’d dug himself into such a deep hole.
“I’m not surprised he didn’t tell you. He has such a negative attitude about women and them not being smart.”
Mr. Black stood and walked to her side. “I’m sorry I had to be the one to give you the news.”
Bliss stood and shook his hand. He handed her back the business plans.
“Good luck on your shop. I think you’ll be successful.”
“And yet you can’t give me a loan.”
“I represent the bank. Under its guidelines, no, I cannot give you the loan.”
“Thanks for seeing me.” Bliss waved, and not looking to the left or right, she walked outside. She wanted to sit on the sidewalk and bawl. But crying never helped. She straightened her shoulders. Alan had to sell the ranch. Maybe he’d have enough left to leave town and start over, and perhaps there’d be some to help her with her business.
Bliss walked to her car with her head down. She sat behind the driver’s seat, trying to decide if she could make a success of her shop with less funds. It’d be a touch-and-go situation.
* * * *
Bern had parked his car on the other side of the street a half block behind Bliss’s car. “She looks upset. Something didn’t go as she expected in the bank. I’d guess her brother may have maxed out on his credit fighting his ex-wife in court. I’ve heard rumors he’s determined to keep her from having any contact with their children. He hates that she left him for two men.”
“If he was a wife beater, I can’t blame her for leaving.” Lann wanted to go Bliss’s car and take her into his arms and comfort her. But she was a feisty woman and wouldn’t appreciate his interference at this time. Perhaps, though, they could find a way to help her. “Let’s go in the bank,” Lann suggested.
“No one will tell us her business.” Bern turned in his seat toward Lann. “And if we did manage to help her anonymously, she’d resent it later.”
“We can deal with that at the time.”
“All right, but I’m going to put all the blame on you.” Bern grinned and got out. They strolled across the street. “If she looks up, she’ll see us.”
“Life’s a gamble.” Lann walked inside the bank. “I met Sherry during my last visit when I opened a bank account. She’s quite a talker.” He headed in her direction.
“Can I help you?” Sherry asked with a big smile.
“I’d like to rent a safety deposit box like you mentioned when I opened my account.”
“I’d be pleased to help you. Fill out this form, and then we’ll go back and check on the box, make sure the keys work, and all. Mr. Aznar, do you need assistance?”
“Yes, but I need to fill out a slip. I want to take out a few hundred dollars.”