Authors: Marie Force
“Henry did,” Susannah said.
Melissa snorted with disbelief. “Do you
seriously
expect us to believe that?”
“Funny you have no problem believing
I’m
capable of it,” Ryan said, swearing under his breath.
“Now, Ryan,” Dalton said. “No one is saying—”
“Sure you are. I know you think I’m nothing more than a dumb jock, Dalton, but I’m just smart enough to get when I’m being
accused of something.”
Susannah looped her arm around Ryan’s waist.
“Henry twisted my arm and sprained my wrist when I ended our engagement. That’s the truth whether you choose to believe it
or not.” She paused, took a breath, and added, “I want you all to leave my home. Right now.”
“I don’t know what’s gotten into you, honey,” Dalton said. “But if he’s pressuring you—”
“
Daddy!
Will you
listen
to yourself? Ryan is my
husband.
He’s not pressuring me to do anything I don’t want to do. Either you accept that and him, or there’s nothing left for us to
say to each other.”
“You don’t mean that, Susannah,” Grace said. “We surprised you by dropping in this way, and it’s obvious you’re not thinking
clearly.”
“I meant it, Mama, and I
am
thinking clearly.” She stepped back so they could get by her. “Please go now.”
“We were hoping to take you to dinner tonight,”
Dalton said with a smile that had Susannah wondering if he’d heard anything she had said. “You, too, Ryan, of course.”
“I’m sorry,” Susannah said. “We have plans tonight.”
“When we told Henry we were coming for the weekend, he got us tickets to the ball,” Missy said.
“We’ll see you there.”
Susannah didn’t say another word as her mother and sister brushed by her on their way to the front door. Her chin quivered
when her father stopped and placed a kiss on her forehead.
“I love you, honey.”
“Bye, Daddy,” she whispered.
Ryan closed the door behind them and returned to Susannah. He hugged her so fiercely he lifted her off her feet.
“
Ryan!
Your ribs! Put me down.”
“In a minute.” But one minute stretched into two and then a third. Finally, he eased her down. “I’m so sorry
you had to go through that. I really am. But
damn,
baby, you let them
have
it.”
“Did I?” she asked with a shy smile.
“Oh, yeah. You were scary tough.”
She rested her hands on his chest. “I’m sorry you had to hear it. I was wishing I’d let you leave the room.”
“No, you were right. We have to present a united front.” He paused when his voice broke. “You showed me a lot in there just
now, Susie.”
“Hopefully, you saw how much I love you and how much I want our marriage to work.”
“I saw all of that and so much more.”
Susannah reached up to kiss him. When she finally released him, his fingers had tunneled into her hair.
“I messed up your pretty hair,” he said, dropping soft kisses along her jaw.
She tilted her head to give him better access. “I don’t care.”
“It smells so good. Mmmm. I love it.”
“How long were they here before I got home?”
“About twenty minutes.”
She winced. “Were they nice to you?”
“They were okay,” he said with a shrug. “They weren’t very happy to see me, though. I think they’d been hoping it wasn’t true.”
“Well, now they know it is.”
“They’re your family. You can’t just cut them off completely—”
With her fingers on his lips, she silenced him. “You’re my family. You and the baby.”
“I love you, Susie. I’ve always loved you, but what you did just now, sticking up for me like that . . . I love you more than
ever. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t given me another chance.”
She took his hand and headed for the stairs. “I’m so glad you blackmailed me into it.”
“Blackmail is such an ugly word.”
She laughed.
“Where’re we going?” he asked.
“I’d hoped to cajole you into taking a nap with me when I got home.”
“What about those plans you told them we had tonight?”
“That was it.”
He howled with laughter. “I love it!”
“I had a feeling you would. By the way, no sign of your car yet, huh?”
“He’ll be here.”
She sat down on the bed. “He’s halfway to Vegas by now.”
“So little faith.” He clucked with disapproval as he knelt down in front of her and removed her shoes.
“How’s the bambino doing?”
“She’s getting hungry.”
He raised an eyebrow. “
She?
Is that a hunch or a strike for women’s lib?”
“No hunches. Just making sure you’re aware of the possibility that
it
might be a
she.
”
“Can you imagine me with a little girl?” he asked as he massaged her feet.
“God help her and any man who ever wants to date her.”
The thought made him shudder. “God help
me.
If she’s anything like her mother, she’ll have me wrapped around her finger in no time flat.”
Susannah’s stomach growled, which made them laugh.
“All right, I hear you,” Ryan said to her belly. “Do you want to go out?”
She shook her head. “Let’s order in.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“Ry?”
“Hmm?”
“It’s going to stay like this, right?”
“What is?”
“I just want to pinch myself because I’ve never been so happy. Even before, when it was really good between us, it wasn’t
like this. I’m so afraid it won’t last.”
“Susannah,” he sighed. “It’s going to last forever.”
“Promise?”
He kissed one of her hands and then the other.
“I promise.”
Chapter 25
SUSANNAH TOOK ONE LAST LOOK IN THE FULL-LENGTH mirror. Her simple black silk gown left one shoulder and most of her back bare,
which ruled out a bra. As she moved this way and that to make sure nothing would fall out of the dress, her stomach knotted
with tension. Henry would be there tonight, most likely with his parents, her parents, her sister . . .
She wished she could skip the whole thing and spend another quiet night at home with Ryan. If she hadn’t been the chairperson
of the event, she would’ve invented a stomach bug to get out of it. After this, she and Ryan were getting off the social merry-go-round
for a while. They needed to spend some time together that didn’t include regularly running into Henry.
“I just hope he doesn’t make a scene tonight,” she whispered to her reflection. The charms on her bracelet jingled as she
smoothed a hand over the French knot in her hair. “Please let them all just leave us alone.”
With one last deep breath for courage, she picked up her faux fur wrap and clutch purse and headed for the stairs.
Ryan waited for her in the foyer. “Wow,” he said.
“Look at you.”
“No, look at
you,
” she said, straightening his bow tie. He had gotten a haircut earlier in the day and was even more handsome than usual, especially
since the bruises on his face were all but gone. “I love your hair short like that.”
He studied her from head to toe. “I’ll have to get it cut more often then.”
“Is the dress okay?”
“Way,
way
better than okay.”
“What?” She squirmed under the heat of his gaze.
“You don’t like the front, right? Too much showing?”
“I
love
the front, but it needs this,” he said, bringing a jeweler’s box from behind his back.
“What is it?”
“Open it and find out.”
Her heart beat fast with excitement as she nibbled on a polished thumbnail. “You open it.”
When he flipped open the box to reveal a huge teardrop diamond pendant, she gasped.
“Oh my God!” she sputtered. “When did you, why did you, I mean . . . ” Her eyes filled with tears.
“It’s beautiful.”
He turned her around and fastened the necklace, kissing the back of her neck when he was done. “To answer your questions,
I got it today when I went into the city to get my tux at the apartment. As for why,” he said, moving around so he was in
front of her, “I should hope that’d be obvious.” He kissed her lightly. “You’re absolutely gorgeous, and the thought of having
to share you with the world tonight makes me nuts.”
Fingering the pendant, she said, “I wish we didn’t have to go.”
“We don’t
have
to do anything.”
“Don’t tempt me. We
do
have to go.”
He wrapped her shoulders in faux fur. “All right, then.
After you, my lady.”
When Ryan and Susannah arrived at the Seawall Grand Ballroom at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, most of the expected
five hundred people were already inside the room. At a thousand dollars a plate, the Black and White attracted the cream of
Denver society and was among the year’s most anticipated events.
Before they walked into the room, Susannah stopped him.
“What’s wrong, baby?”
“I need a minute.”
He put his hands on her shoulders. “Deep breaths.”
“This is our grand debut,” she said, looking up at him with a small smile.
“Re-debut.”
“Stay close, okay?”
“I’ll be like glue.”
She reached for his hand. “Why does it feel like we’re swimming into a shark tank?”
“Because we are.”
“Hey, you guys,” Bernie said from behind Ryan.
Ryan kissed Susannah’s cheek and turned to greet their friends.
“I saw that you called yesterday,” Bernie said to Ryan.
“We were at Hayden’s soccer game.”
Susannah heard them talking but had no idea what they were saying. With a critical eye, she checked the yellow and purple
sheers suspended from the ceiling over tables covered with the Mavericks’ colors. Decorative lighting cast a warm glow and
managed to make the huge room seem almost intimate. There were a wide variety of black and white gowns and an even wider variety
of gems. Susannah reached up to touch her new pendant and was relieved to find it right where it belonged.
Unfortunately, her colleagues on the committee reported things were progressing perfectly, and nothing needed her immediate
attention. She had no choice but to withstand the inquisitive looks and downright stares directed at her and Ryan. The back
of her neck tingled, which was the only warning she got that Henry was nearby.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him introduce his parents to some people just inside the door. He wore the big grin
of a man who hadn’t a care in the world, but when one of the women he was talking to leaned in to whisper something in his
ear, Henry sobered and nodded. It didn’t take much to deduce that she had expressed her sympathies about Henry’s broken engagement.
Susannah tuned back into the conversation Ryan was having with the evening’s master of ceremonies, Mavericks’ Coach Duke Simmons,
and his wife Abigail.
“Are you ready, sweetheart?” Duke asked Susannah.
“As ready as I ever am.”
Duke offered his arm.
“I’ll see you in a few,” Susannah said to Ryan.
He leaned down to kiss her. “Knock ’em dead, baby.”
“Don’t get lost,” she said over her shoulder as Duke led her to the stage.
“I’ll be right here.”
At the front of the room, Duke left Susannah by the stairs to the stage when he went up to the dais.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” Duke said, silencing the crowd. “On behalf of the Denver Mavericks, it’s my great honor
to welcome you to the Sixteenth Annual Black and White Ball. I can’t tell you how much we appreciate you braving the cold
tonight to support our favorite cause, Children’s Hospital. This has been an extraordinary year for the Mavericks.” He was
interrupted by thunderous applause. “And most of my team is here tonight,” he said, gesturing to a group of tables in the
front of the room.
Susannah chuckled as the guys, wearing a wide variety of tuxedo concoctions, hammed it up to the enthusiastic applause.
“I know I speak for everyone in the Mavericks organization,” Duke continued, “when I thank you for your support during the
season and throughout the year at events such as this where we try to give something back to the best city in America.” He
paused for another round of applause. “Now, I’m just here to keep things moving. The real star of the evening, as you well
know, is a member of the Mavericks family who needs no introduction in this town. It gives me great pleasure to welcome my
dear friend and the chairperson of the Black and White Ball for the last seven years, Susannah Sanderson.”
As she climbed the stairs to the stage, the resounding applause embarrassed her, but the hooting and hollering from the players
was amusing.
Duke kissed her cheek and left the stage.
While she waited for the players to settle down, she scanned the room. She found Henry watching her with an intense expression
on his face, and she quickly moved on. Next to him, his parents were doing their best not to look at her. Susannah’s parents
and sister were sitting at Henry’s table as was Betsy James, who met Susannah’s gaze with a satisfied smirk.
What the hell is she doing there? He
knows how much I despise that woman. Why would he let
her sit at his table? Maybe it’s because he
knows
I despise
her, and he’s trying to rattle me. Well, it’s working.
Tearing her eyes off Betsy James, Susannah stepped to the microphone. “Thank you, Duke, and thank you all for that warm welcome.”
The players whistled and hooted some more. They laughed when she said, “Easy, boys.” Among other friends, Susannah was comforted
to see her divorce attorney at one of the front tables, as well as her caterer friend Carol, who had apparently turned over
the event to her staff, since she was dressed in formal attire. The one person Susannah couldn’t locate was Ryan.
Where did he go?
“If you all could take your seats, I have just a few things to mention before dinner is served.” She gave a boilerplate welcome
on behalf of her committee, the hospital, and the team. Gesturing to the back of the room, she talked about the silent auction
and urged attendees to be as generous as possible.
“In addition to the items outlined in your program, Ryan has provided a signed and dated football. He seems to think there
might be some interest because of what happened this week, but I’m skeptical.” A ripple of laughter went through the crowd.
“Now, I have to live with him,” she said in a conspiratorial whisper. “So it would really help me out if someone could pony
up a few bucks for that ball.” This time applause accompanied their laughter. “If you could also appear to scuffle over it
a little bit, well, that would help, too.” She smiled at their enthusiastic reaction, but her eyes were drawn to Henry’s table
where he shared a laugh with Betsy James.
Ugh! Of all
people!
“Thank you so much for coming. I’ll leave you with this video the folks from Children’s Hospital asked us to show to give
you an idea of what you’re supporting. Enjoy your evening.”
Ryan appeared at the bottom of the stairs as Susannah left the stage. When he kissed her, his teammates cheered. He escorted
her to their table where Duke and Abigail were sitting with the event’s honorary chairman, Chet Logler, and his wife Martha.
Ryan held Susannah’s chair for her. “Very funny up there, Mrs. Sanderson.”
“Got to keep that ego of yours in check,” Susannah said with a saucy smile.
He leaned down to whisper, “As only you can do.”
Susannah gasped and grabbed the place card next to hers that said, “Henry Merrill.”
“What’s that?” Ryan asked when he sat down next to her.
“Nothing.”
Reaching for her hand, he unrolled it. “Well, someone didn’t get the word, did they?” He tore the card into pieces and tossed
it under the table. “No worries, baby.”
“That should’ve been taken care of,” Susannah said with annoyance.
“I wouldn’t put it past Henry to have gotten here early to swap out the cards.” Ryan kissed her hand. “Forget about it, okay?”
She nodded and looked over at Henry’s table. “What’s he up to with
that
woman?”
Ryan’s eyes narrowed. “That’s a very good question.
An odd pairing, to say the least.”
When she glanced at Ryan and saw his eyes fixated on Henry’s table, her stomach knotted. The rumors about Ryan and Betsy James
had nearly driven Susannah mad, and they had been the final straw for their struggling marriage. She reached for his hand
under the table.
“What’re you thinking about?”
He smiled, but there were no dimples, and his eyes were hard. “Dinner. What are we having?”
Hours later, Susannah was dancing with Ryan when her father tapped him on the shoulder.
“Do you mind if I cut in for a minute, Ryan?”
Ryan glanced down at Susannah, and she nodded.
“Don’t run away with my girl, Dalton.”
“I won’t.”
With an encouraging smile for Susannah, Ryan left them.
“You’re breathtaking,” Dalton said as he led her around the dance floor.
“Thank you, Daddy.”
“This is a very impressive event you’ve put together, honey. I’m glad we finally got to attend one of them.”
“I am, too, especially since this’ll probably be my last year as chair.”
“Why’s that?”
“Well, with Ryan retiring and leaving the team, they’ll probably want one of the other wives to take over.”
“I was surprised to hear he’s retiring.”
“I would’ve told you before it was in the papers if I thought y’all would’ve cared.”
“I don’t know what makes you think we don’t care.”
“Could be the way you’ve treated him all these years.”
“Susannah . . . ”
“Daddy, can I ask you something?”
“Sure you can.”
“Do you care at all that I love him? Really, really love him?”
Dalton softened. “Of course I do. In fact, I told your mother and sister just this afternoon that it’s time for us to let
you live your own life and make your own mistakes.”
“Being with Ryan isn’t a mistake. Being without him was.”
“All I want is for you to be happy.”
“If that’s what you want, then you have to accept Ryan. He loves me so much. What more can you ask for in a son-in-law?”
“Not much, I suppose,” Dalton conceded.
Henry and Betsy danced up next to Susannah and her father.
“Hello, Susannah,” Henry said with a mild smile.
“Another great success. Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” she said, going to great pains to avoid making eye contact with Betsy James, who wore her auburn hair in a sleek
pageboy. Her plunging white gown offset a deep tan and showcased a spectacular pair of surgically enhanced breasts.
“Henry, I’d like to have a word with you,” Dalton said. To Betsy, he added, “Would you please excuse us for a moment?”
Startled, Betsy said, “Certainly.” With a perplexed glance at Henry, she left the dance floor.
Dalton kept a hold of Susannah’s hand as he led her and Henry to a quiet corner.
“You don’t need me, do you, Daddy? I want to go find Ryan.”
“This will only take a moment, Susannah.” He turned to Henry. “I want to ask you a question, and I’d like a truthful answer,
son.”
“Of course, Dalton,” Henry said with a charming smile. “What can I do for you?”
Dalton raised Susannah’s wrist, which was still bruised and swollen. “Did you do this to my daughter?”
“Daddy!” Susannah struggled against the light grip her father had on her hand. “Don’t.”
“I asked you a question, Henry.”
“We were talking,” Henry stuttered, “and she was going to leave before I had a chance to tell her—”
“
Did you do this to her?
”
“It was an accident,” Henry blurted out, his ears flaming with color.