Authors: Marin Thomas
He acted stunned before darting off. Andy used to like games when he was too young to understand what was going on. “Heyâit's cool!” he shouted from the other room. She hardly recognized such enthusiasm.
“I think so, too. When we leave here, we'll be different. See, honey? No one's going to be looking for a mother with blond hair and her son wearing that kind of hat. We'll wear these disguises until we get to our destination.” He looked at her, and she looked at him before they burst into laughter and hugged like two crazy people.
On her way out of the room for a shower, her cell phone rang. Andy was closest to the bedside table and reached for it. “It's Grandfather.”
“I'll get it.” With everything out in the open, Kit was no longer afraid to talk in front of Andy. She walked back and took it from him. “Good morning, Charles.”
“I'm glad you answered. I'm calling early because there's a flight leaving Jackson at eleven o'clock this morning for Denver. Your connecting flight will have you home by evening. I've already made the changes to your tickets.”
Kit sank down on the side of her bed. “Is Florence on the line?”
“Why?”
“Because I want both of you to hear what I have to say at the same time.”
“Just a minute.”
She waited until her mother-in-law got on the phone. “What do you want to talk to us about?”
“I have something to tell you. If you decide to hang up on me before I'm finished, then I'm sorry for that. When Winn brought me into your home ten years ago, I thought we would only be staying with you for a few weeks until we got our own home. But that never happened. Now that he's gone, I need to make a home for Andy and me.”
Her son stood by her, watching and listening.
“You have a home!” Florence cried.
“Yes, but it's not mine, as I've reminded you many times. Andy and I love you. We're grateful for everything you've done for us, but it's time for me to build a new life with my son.”
“I've heard enough from you!” Charles blurted before she heard a click. That was no surprise.
“Florence, are you still there?”
“Yes,” came the brittle response.
“Andy and I are going to finish out this week of our vacation. When we leave the ranch, we won't be coming home.”
A heart-wrenching cry escaped. This was as hard as anything she'd ever done.
“As soon as I've found us a place to live and get a job, I'll phone you and let you know. Once we're settled, I'll send for our things. There's no reason why we can't visit each other often for the rest of our lives. Andy loves you and the family, but we need our space. Can you understand that?”
“No, I can't. We've given you everything!”
“I know and I'm indebted to you, but now it's time for me to give my son everything the way you did for Winn.”
“But you have no skills, no resources. Nothing. How can you possibly care for our grandson?”
Well it wasn't for want of trying. After all these years, that comment still hurt.
“I love my son and have the brains and the will to take care of him. The rest will come. I'm promising you now that we'll talk often and see each other whenever we can. Is there anything else you want to say to me before we hang up?”
Her question got lost because she heard Charles in the background. Florence was sobbing to him.
Kit clicked off and felt Andy's arms go around her. His love was all that was sustaining her right now.
Chapter Six
Ross had slept poorly and awakened at five, too restless to lie in bed. It was almost impossible to believe how much life had changed since Saturday. Thirty odd hours had passed, and already he was caught up in someone else's trial of fire.
After showering and dressing in a polo shirt and jeans, he'd gone down to the office to put out the payroll. A couple of faxes had arrived in response to his queries about the natural gas drilling project. He planned to meet one of the men from the oil company at the site on Carson's property later in the morning. While he was sending a fax back verifying their arrangement, the guys joined him.
He coughed as his partners filed in the room. They usually assembled in the ranch office early. This morning they sat on the chairs with their legs extended, hands behind their heads, staring at him expectantly. Carson said, “Let's talk about the widow with the big problem.”
Ross found a spot on the end of the desk and gripped the edge with his hands. “Guys? When I joined up with you in this venture, you knew all about me and my background. Now let me tell you Kit's story.” For the next ten minutes he held his audience captive, leaving nothing out. When he'd finished with another cough, he stood up.
“There are only two differences between her story and mine. My father isn't a sick tyrant, just misguided. She wasn't born a Wentworth, but she'll always be in hell because she gave birth to one, and her father-in-law doesn't know when to give up. I think he or one of his bodyguard types is going to fly into Jackson and make a scene here soon.
“I made the mistake of ticking him off when he phoned yesterday. Kit hasn't exaggerated a thing. He's dangerous because he's abusive and won't stop hammering her until he gets what he wants. In that regard he's exactly like my father. Without backup, she doesn't have a prayer.”
Carson leaned forward. “How can we help?”
Ross took a fortifying breath. “Just keep an eye out. Warn Willy about strangers who aren't the typical tourists asking questions about the ranch. I'd like to see her and Andy enjoy the rest of their vacation.”
“And when she leaves here, then what?”
Buck always dug deeper and had just asked the sixty-four million dollar question. It was the one Ross had been asking himself all night.
“I don't know yet.” The thought of Kit leaving didn't sit well with him. The only thing to do right now was drive to her cabin and talk to her. He couldn't force her to do anything such as forget her plan to go to Texas. Otherwise he'd be guilty of her father-in-law's sin. All he could do was let her know he was there to help.
The guys exchanged glances. Carson said, “Why don't you tell her we all want to pitch in by lightening her load. We turned this place into the daddy dude ranch for that very reason. Andy has lost his father and needs his mother. Those two should be allowed to live their lives as they see fit. That's what our letter to her was all about, right?”
Buck coughed before he stared at Carson. “You just took the words out of my mouth and said them more eloquently than I ever could.” He turned to Ross. “No matter who might be coming to look for her, she and Andy should have no worries about staying on the ranch. You tell her that for us. If she's still hesitant, we'll talk to her in person. Between the three of us, we'll keep Andy guarded and entertained.”
Ross swallowed hard as he eyed his friends. “You're the best of the best. I knew it in the hospital and know it even more now.” He checked his watch. It was seven-thirty in the morning. “Got to run. I'll tell you how the meeting goes with Mac Dawson. He's the oil engineer who'll be meeting me later.”
“Sounds good,” Carson said.
Buck stood up. “Tell Andy I'll take him and his mom fishing with the Randall and Smoot families as soon as they eat. I'll have them back before Alex and Tracy leave.”
“Will do. Thanks.”
He left the office, grabbed a couple of donuts from the kitchen and raced out to the truck. Much as he wanted to phone Kit, he couldn't. Ross didn't know her cell phone number. With her and Andy sleeping in the same room, he didn't want to use the house phone or it could awaken them if they were still asleep. The only thing to do was go to the cabin and wait for her.
At seven-forty on the nose he pulled up in front. Instead of sitting in the truck, he climbed out and walked up to the porch, hoping to hear voices through the door. If they were up, then he'd knock. To his surprise, it opened before he had to do anything.
“Hey, Rossâ”
Andy was wearing his boots and hat. He looked happy. That was good.
“Hey, yourself.” They high-fived each other. Kit stood right behind her son. Their eyes met.
“Good morning, Kit. I came to drive you two to breakfast.”
* * *
“W
E
WERE
JUST
about to walk over.” Kit knew she sounded a little breathless. But for Ross to be standing there in his cowboy hat, bigger than life and smelling wonderful, her heart thudded so loud she was sure he could hear it.
She could sense from his demeanor he had a special reason for showing up unannounced. Maybe he'd heard from her father-in-law again. Her stomach clenched because it was too soon after her own conversation with Charles. It would probably take years before Kit stopped reacting like that when she thought of him.
“I'd say this was perfect timing,” he murmured. “After you eat, Buck is going to take you fly fishing while the trout are biting. He'll have you back in time to go to town with everyone if that's what you want to do.”
“What are you going to do this morning?” Andy wanted to know.
“I have a business meeting scheduled out on the property.”
“Oh.”
Kit shut the door of the cabin, concerned that her son would become a nuisance if he kept this up. But she had to admit she was curious, too. Everything about Ross fascinated her.
She watched Andy run to the truck and climb over the tailgate as if he'd been doing it all his life. Ross helped her into the cab. Every accidental touch sent delicious sensations through her body. She was pathetic.
“We need to talk,” he said after he got behind the wheel.
Kit was bursting with her own news about her talk with Andy. “He can start breakfast without me. Hopefully one of the kids will be there. Have you had another phone call from Charles?” She thought it best to get straight to the point.
His dark brown gaze searched her eyes intently. “No. I came to find out if you had that talk with your son.”
Her eyelids smarted. “Yes. He doesn't want to live with them anymore. Andy getting that off his chest was liberating for both of us.”
“Thank God for that.” He started the engine and they took off.
“You'll never know how happy it has made me. Andy was so sweet. He's carried a terrible burden. The fear of going away to that school must have been torturing him all year. I should have done something about this sooner.”
“The important thing is that you're doing it now.”
“I know. But right after our talk, my in-laws phoned.”
“And?”
“IâI had it out with them.” Her voice caught. “It wasn't pretty, but I told them we wouldn't be flying back to Maine after we left the ranch. I didn't tell them where we'd be going, but I promised them I'd keep in touch. And after we were settled, I explained we could all visit each other the way other families do who live apart.”
“What happened?”
“Charles hung up on me and Florence broke down sobbing, too incoherent to keep talking.”
Ross reached out and grasped her hand. His warmth traveled up her arm to fill her body. “That took a lot of courage, Kit. I want you to know my partners and I are here to support you every way we can.”
By now they'd reached the parking area, and Ross pulled into a free space, forcing him to relinquish her hand.
He didn't do it any too soon because Andy had jumped down and come around to her side. The window was already open.
“Honey? I need to talk to Ross. Do you mind going in first? I think you'll find Jenny in there with her dad. We'll join you in a few minutes.”
“Okay.”
Once he'd disappeared around the corner of the ranch house, she turned to Ross. “I was about to say that your offer of support is very generous, but as I told you last night, my problems aren't your concern.”
“They are if your father-in-law decides to fly here and confront you.”
“He probably will come, but I'll handle him. I've been doing it for years.”
He grimaced. “Except that you've never threatened to move away before. I happen to know Charles Wentworth can be a formidable man when provoked.”
She frowned. “How do you know so much about him?”
His sudden smile turned him into the most attractive male she'd ever met in her life. “Allow me to introduce myself fully,
ma'am.
” Suddenly he was speaking with a heavy Texas accent.
“My legal name is Rutherford Livingston V, son of Chauncey Livingston IV, son of Ramsey Livingston III, son of Homer Livingston II, son of Eli Livingston, of Livingston Oil of Texas.”
Kit blinked in disbelief. Ross was
that
Livingston? The fabulously wealthy U.S. senator she'd heard her husband and father-in-law talk about with envy was Ross's father?
“I can tell by the look on your face you've heard of us,” Ross said quietly, leaving off the accent. “The East Coast might have its blue bloods, but so does Houston, the province of the billionaire Livingston oil barons dating from 1900 with their mansions built in River Oaks and Galveston's Historic District. It would seem the divine right of kings is still alive and doing well in both Maine and Texas.”
Shocked by the revelation, she was trying to take it all in. “But you're a rancher!”
“I'm working on it. After I was discharged from the service, I couldn't get away from that old life fast enough.”
“Ross...”
“Through my mother, who does her share of philanthropy, I've heard of the Wentworth charities run by the women in that family. But I had no idea Kathryn Wentworth was such a beautiful woman until we met at the airport.”
“That explains your behavior when I asked you your name. You expected to meet a spoiled, filthy rich society snob without a brain in my head.”
His eyes traveled over her. “But we know you're not anything like that!”
“I'm relieved you've revised your opinion of me.”
“Forgive me if you sensed any reaction from me. Whatever you assumed I was thinking, I promise it wasn't aimed at you personally. Just so you know, I approve wholeheartedly of giving to charity. If it were up to me, I'd give it all away. But I'm afraid I grew up in the same lifestyle as your husband, and the pall it leaves on the family still sickens me to think about.”
Ross was such an extraordinary man, Kit could scarcely comprehend it. She took a deep breath. “Does that mean this ranch is one of your investments?”
“On the contrary,” he drawled. “This is Lundgren land since Carson's great great grandfather purchased it in 1908. I'm just lucky enough to be working here.”
Kit stared out the window, waiting for the world she'd been living in a minute ago to orbit back to its normal place in the universe. “But you don't have to be here.”
“No. I
want
to live and work here. If all goes well, we hope to bring more war widows with their children out here next summer and the summer after that.”
“You and your partners have been doing a wonderful thing for three children I know of, Andy in particular.”
“I'm glad he's enjoying it, since I'm the one person who probably understands better than anyone else what your life has been like living with Charles Wentworth. Let me tell you a story about the time I ran away from my family dynasty for good and never looked back.”
“
You
ran away?” she blurted. “But your family is worth billions. Wouldn't they have prevented you from leaving?”
“If my father could have done it, he would have, but there was someone even richer and more powerful to stop him.”
“I can't imagine who that would be.”
“Uncle Sam.”
Kit gasped in surprise. With anyone else, she would have thought this was a huge joke, but that wasn't the case with this unbelievable man. “You joined the marines to get away?”
He shot her a dark sideward glance. “Yup. Can you think of a better place to be where my father was powerless to order me back to the Livingston empire? Where his minions couldn't lay a finger on me?”
She let out a sigh. “As a plan, I have to concede it was brilliant.” She was beginning to wonder if Winn might have done the same thing to get away from his autocratic father for long periods of time. Andy's comment that his father was afraid of Charles could account for Winn's decision to join the military. Marrying her had been out of character for Winn, yet he'd done it. And they'd all paid a huge price for it.
To her despair, that choice had deprived Andy of a father's love for those same barren periods when Charles had ruled her and his grandson with an iron hand.
“One day during my second year at Harvard Law School, I was sitting in a lecture when I realized I had no idea who I was or what I wanted from life. Like Andy, I'd been told what, where, when and how to live from the day I was born. I was a robot.”
“That's exactly what Charles is turning my son into,” she whispered.
“No one can relate better than I can. I had to go to one of those elite, astronomically expensive, pre-adolescent prep schools in Houston when I was nine years old, too. It was called St. Luke's.”
Kit sat spellbound as she listened to him tell her the story of his life. The parallel between his and Andy's experiences was uncannily similar.