Authors: Ruth Cardello
Chapter Twenty-Three
C
harles sprinted out of the elevator in his office building and down the hall. As soon as June had told him someone was waiting for him in her office, h
e’d
known.
Well, h
e’d
hoped.
He slowed his approach as he entered the outer lobby. He caught a glimpse of Tanner before the boy saw him. He was sitting in one of the chairs, dressed in a dirty sweatshirt and jeans, hunched over defensively.
Charles nodded toward June as he entered the room, and she stepped out into the hall.
Tanner stood when he saw him and glowered at the floor. “I heard you were looking for me.”
Taking a deep breath, Charles said simply, “I was.”
“I told everyone you were trying to get money from me because of the video, but that I didn’t have an
y . . .
only you wouldn’t believe me.”
“Is that why so many of them threatened to kill me?”
Tanner looked to the side, still not meeting Charles’s eyes. “Probably.”
Charles paced in front of the door, then stopped. “Sorry about your birthday. I didn’t realize it was Thursday.”
“No big deal.”
“Yes, it was. I should have been there.” They stood for a moment in awkward silence. “Where did you go, Tanner?”
“I lived on the streets for a few years. I have friends. People who would kill for me if I asked them to.”
Charles sat back against June’s desk. “And probably ask you to do the same.”
Tanner half turned away. “Yes. Especially when everyone has seen me get my ass kicked by a girl. They wanted me to prove myself.”
“That’s a dangerous lifestyle to choose, Tanner. And one you don’t have to live.”
His eyes glittering with anger, the young man confronted Charles. “I’m eighteen. I’m no one’s problem anymore. You don’t have to pretend you give a damn what happens to me.”
Charles met his eyes and said calmly. “I wasn’t pretending. If you want a fresh start, I’ll help you make one.”
“What are you going to do, just give me your fucking money? No one does that. No one gives anyone something for nothing. What do you want from me?”
“I’m not giving you anything. You’ll have to earn your way, just as the rest of us did. What I’ll give you is a place you can do it honestly and with people who will care about you.”
“I’m not joining some fucking cult.”
“First, easy on the profanity. People judge you by how you speak.”
“I don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks of me.”
Charles sighed. “Second, the place I’m talking about is not a cult. It’s a ranch in Texas. The man who runs it is world famous for training horses.”
“I’m not a fucking horse. What the hell would I do on a ranch in fucking Texas?”
“I guess yo
u’d
have to go there to find out, wouldn’t you?”
When Tanner didn’t say anything, Charles said, “You have enough money in a fund to pay for a place to live and any college you want to go to. But I’m not releasing that money to you directly. Don’t go to Texas. Enroll in school and you’ll even get a small allowance.”
“If it’s my money, why the hell do you get to tell me what I can do with it?”
“Because you were mugging a woman in the video? Does that ring a bell? You’re lucky you’re not in jail for it. And because I have more lawyers than you have friends, so there is no way in hell you’ll get a dime unless I see you turning your life around.”
“What do you get out of this?” Tanner asked with narrowed eyes.
“A second chance,” Charles said honestly.
Tanner studied Charles’s expression for a long time, then said, “I could use one of those. I don’t want to go back to the streets.”
“Then your choice is college or Texas.”
“Fucking Texas I guess.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you right.”
A decision had to be made, and Charles knew that Tanner was just as aware of it as he was. The angry, defiant child TJ had been would have to step aside if Tanner was going to become the man he was meant to be. But no one could make that happen—except Tanner.
After another long pause, Tanner repeated his answer, less the profanity. “Texas. I wouldn’t mind seeing how they train horses.”
Charles felt he needed to prepare Tanner, give him a chance to choose college. “They’ll expect you to work as hard as they do. There are chores and some of them are not pleasant. I don’t get the lure of shoveling horse manure, but they all seem willing enough to do it.”
“So why would you send me there?”
“Because I have never met a more caring group of people. Half of them have spent the last week scouring New York City for you. You treat them well, and you might find yourself part of a family.”
Tanner looked down. “It’s too late for that.”
Charles walked over and patted his shoulder. “It’s not too late. Not for you. Not yet. You can turn your life around, but you have to want to.”
Tanner’s eyebrows furrowed together and he studied Charles again. “When did you get so fucking sentimental?”
Charles smiled and shrugged. “I fell in love.”
“Fuck.”
Charles narrowed his eyes at him.
“I mean
shit
.”
When Charles continued to stare him down, Tanner corrected himself again.
“I mean
holy macaroni with meatballs
.”
Charles shook his head and laughed.
Tanner smiled tentatively as if not trusting it to last. “I don’t know why you’re doing this, but thank you.”
As they walked out of the office together, Charles stopped and said, “Just one thing.”
Tanner stopped in his tracks, instantly tense and defensive.
No matter how glad Charles was to have found Tanner, something needed to be said. “There is only one deal breaker to everything I said today.”
Tanner crammed his hands into the pockets of his jeans and waited.
“Don’t mess with Melanie or her son, Jace. Do that and you’ll wish
I’d
left you on the streets.”
Even though Charles had issued a threat, it wasn’t one that appeared to upset Tanner. In fact, it was one he seemed to understand. “Yes, sir.”
Charles smiled.
Take that, all you cowboys—this Wall Street investor got the first “Yes, sir.” Stick that in your Stetsons.
That night, after h
e’d
hung up with Melanie, Charles called his parents’ home. His father answered the phone after several rings.
“Hello?”
“Dad.”
“Charlie?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
“It’s midnight.”
Shit.
“Sorry, Dad. I can call back.”
“No,” his father said, sounding like he was sitting up in his bed. Charles heard his mother in the background, asking who had called. “It’s Charlie.”
“Did something happen?” his mother asked at a high pitch. “Is it Sarah?”
“No,” Charles said hastily, cursing himself for not checking the time before he called them. “Everyone is fine.”
His father calmed his mother down, then asked, “Is there something you need? Are you in some kind of trouble?”
“I’m fine. I told you, nothing is wrong. I’ve just been thinkin
g . . .
”
His father listened quietly.
“
I’d
like you to come for a visit sometime.”
“Down to New York?” his father asked.
“Yes, and I’ll be spending a lot of time at the horse ranch where Sarah is. You and Mom would like it there.”
“What is he saying?” his mother asked impatiently in the background.
“He wants us to visit him,” his father said.
“Is he dying?” his mother asked, sounding on high alert.
“Tell Mom I’m not sick—unless you call being in love an illness. I met a woman
I’d
like you to meet. Her name is Melanie, and I’m going to marry her as soon I get back there. She has a five-year-old son, Jace.
I’d
like you to meet him, too.”
“He says he wants us to meet his girlfriend,” his father said to his mother.
“To the woman Sarah told us about?”
“I think so.”
“He’s never asked us to meet anyone.”
“He says he’s marrying this one.”
“Give me the phone,” his mother said, and Charles chuckled as he pictured her taking the phone from his father. “Are you drunk, Charlie?”
“No, Mom.”
“Did you really just invite us to visit you?”
Wow, I have been an ass to them.
“I did. I miss you.”
His mother said, “He said he misses us.”
“Well he damn well should. He never calls or comes to see us.”
His mother cleared her throat. “Your father said he misses you, too.”
No relationship is built in a day, Charles reminded himself, and after over a decade of avoiding his parents, he knew the road back to them would have a few bumps. He wasn’t afraid of them anymore, though. He wasn’t afraid of anything.
“Tell Dad I love him.”
His mother gasped. “Oh my God, Charlie is having a nervous breakdown. We should go see him.” She continued on as if Charles hadn’t been able to hear her last comment. “Where are you, Charlie? We’ll come tonight.”
Charles laughed into his hand. “I’m in New York. I need a little time to finish a project I’m working on, then I’ll fly you both to Texas.”
“If that’s what you want,” his mother said, still sounding concerned.
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“I love you, too.”
Instead of sounding shocked this time, his mother answered, “Of course you do. And we love you. There was never a question about either. Now tell me one more time about this Melanie. If you’re marrying her, she must be something special.”
Charles smiled. “She sure is.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
A
week later, Stetson firmly planted on his head, Charles was sitting on a rock beside Jace, watching him happily release his latest catch back into the pond. H
e’d
lost count of how many times the
y’d
done it that day. How many worms fit into an old paper coffee cup? Too many in his opinion, but it had given him time to get to know Jace, and that had gone better than h
e’d
dared hope.
A day beside the water with a child. A few months ago, he would have said it was something h
e’d
never be able to enjoy, but being with Melanie had forced him to face his old demons.
He looked out over the water and thought:
Phil, I’m sorry.
Sorry I didn’t pay better attention to you that day.
Sorry I didn’t understand how dangerous the water was for you.
I’d
give anything to go back and not walk away to talk to Mom and Dad.
Anything to have you back with us.
I probably don’t deserve the second chance I found here, but I’m taking it.
He looked down at the young boy beside him.
If you can hear me, help me keep Jace safe.
Help me do it right this time.
Charles nearly jumped when Jace put his hand on his arm. “You okay, Charlie?”
“I’m fine. Sorry, my mind wandered.”
“That’s because you’re old.”
Charles raised one eyebrow at his young friend and Jace laughed joyfully. Charles found himself laughing along with him. “Old, huh?”
“Yes, sir.”
Charles laughed again and ruffled the boy’s hair. “I’m not so old that I couldn’t beat you in a race to your mother.” He looked back at Melanie, who was reading on a blanket in the sun about fifty feet behind them. Charles half stood, giving Jace time to scramble down onto the grass before him. He kept pace with the boy, letting him win by a few steps.
Jace threw himself into his mother’s arms for a hug. “Mama, did you see that one?” He held his hands out in front of him. “It was hunormous!”
“Enormous?” Melanie asked with a smile.
“And huge,” Jace added with a nod. “I wanted to take it home and put it in the bathtub, but Charlie said he’s so big he probably has a family in there waiting for him.”
“Charlie is a very smart man.” Melanie winked up at Charles and his breath caught in his throat.
A warm feeling spread through him as he sat on the blanket watching Melanie and Jace. She took some toy cars out of a bag and set him up playing in a dirt patch beside them. Tibby came running and started to dig excitedly beside the boy.
Melanie turned so she could watch Jace while leaning back on Charles. Charles moved closer and settled her between his legs, her back on his chest. He tucked her hair to one side and kissed her neck gently. She smiled over her shoulder at him.
“Thank you for today,” she said.
“I should thank you—this is the best day I’ve had in a long time.”
Melanie took one of his hands in hers and clasped it against her stomach. “You don’t miss your life in New York?”
He rested his chin on her shoulder and said softly, “I have a business to run and employees who depend on me. I’m looking into a satellite office in Dallas, but I’ll still need to spend time in New York. And you’ll have to come with me sometimes if you really want to help me create the Dery Foundation for the Homeless. I spoke to my lawyer. We’re moving forward with it. We’ll start in New York and branch out as we grow.”
“I do want to be involved with that project. I gave you a lot of grief in the beginning about not caring where your donations went. I was a bit of a hypocrite.”
“You?” he teased gently.
“Shut up,” she joked back. “I’m serious. I love my life here on the ranch, but I’m done hiding. I want to help you with that foundation, and
I’d
like to get involved with what’s going on in Fort Mavis. You make me feel like I can make a difference.”
“You can. You changed my life for the better.”
Melanie turned her head and gave him a brief kiss. Lacing her fingers with his, she asked, “Did you tell Tanner about the foundation yet?”
“I did. I told him he needs a degree in business and sociology if he wants to run it someday. David is helping him sign up for one course at the community college in the spring. Hopefully, he follows through.”
Melanie let out a content sigh. “David won’t let him back out of it. You were right to bring Tanner here. I saw him smile for the first time yesterday. He was brushing down a horse and talking to it. He looks a little scared, but he’ll do fine.” She rested her other hand on his thigh. “I’m still going to finish my classes. But after that, I’m all yours.”
Charles shifted beneath her, letting her feel his arousal against her back. She gave him a peck that broke off painfully quickly. If they had been alone, the
y’d
already be rolling around naked on the blanket, but they weren’t and, strangely, that was okay.
We have the rest of our lives together. There is no need to rush.
“I have something I want you to listen to,” he said softly in her ear and dug into the back pocket of his jeans for his cell phone. He tucked a two-carat diamond ring in his hand beneath his phone and scrolled to his music files. A country melody began with the gentle strumming of a guitar and Melanie’s heart began to beat wildly in her chest. With the sun shining brightly, Jace playing near them, and Charles’s arms around her—Melanie thought this was the closest to heaven a living person could get.
A male vocalist with a deep, gravelly voice filled the quiet afternoon air with words that took Melanie’s breath away.
Top of my game
Top of the world
Yeah that was me
’Til you took me down
My Takedown Cowgirl
Strong and brave
Wild and free
I need her and she needs me
I wasted time
Wasted my life
Looking back at what I couldn’t change
But now I see
Here in front of me
My chance to finally get it right
My Takedown Cowgirl
Strong and brave
Wild and free
I love her and she loves me
So take this ring
Take this leap
Nothing matters without you beside me
At the top of my game
At the top of the world
Loving how you take me down
Again and again
My Takedown Cowgirl
Strong and brave
Wild and free
Marry me
Marry me
As the song came to an end, Charles called Jace over. “Jace, I want to marry your mother more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my entire life. Do I have your permission?”
Jace stood up, walked over to them, and wiped his muddy hands on his jeans. “Why is she crying?”
Melanie sat back and pulled her son to her side. “Because I’m so happy.”
Jace looked back and forth between them. “You’ll take care of my mom?”
Charles nodded solemnly.
“And me?”
“Yes.”
Melanie’s heart was bursting with pride as her son weighed the decision like a man. “What would I call you?”
Charles answered easily, “Whatever you want to.”
“Will you be my dad?”
“If you let me.”
“Can I have a kitten?”
Charles wisely looked at Melanie first and Melanie shook her head. “No,” he said.
Jace gave them both another critical once-over, then smiled. “Okay. Now can I go play?”
Alone again with Charles, Melanie returned to how sh
e’d
sat in the beginning with her back against his and her eyes on Jace. She looked at her diamond and fought back a fresh wave of happy tears.
“Did you write that song?”
“No, I told the songwriter how I felt about you and he put it to music.”
“Will you play it again?” she asked.
He started it over. “We’ll also listen to it tonight when we’re alone,” he promised and nuzzled her neck.
Melanie blushed and shivered with desire at the thought. As the lyrics filled the air again, she asked, “Is that the lead singer of Unchained?”
“Yes. I figured he owed me a favor.”
“They aren’t even a country band. How did you get him to do it?”
Charles kissed her neck. “I can be very persuasive when I want to be.”
Laughing joyfully at him, she asked, “Did you bribe him or threaten him?”
“Doesn’t matter as long as you like it,” he said vaguely. “It can stay private between you and me, or they can add it to their tour and you can hear it played on the radio. Your choice.”
“Is there anything you can’t do?” Melanie asked in amazement.
“Yes,” he said and raised her hand to his lips to kiss it. “Live without you.” Charles held out a ring in front of Melanie. “I love you. I never thought I could love anyone, but you changed that. I can’t imagine my life without you. Say yes, Melanie.”
Melanie turned on her knees with tears running down her face. Everything she felt, everything sh
e’d
hoped he felt, was there in that song. “Yes. Yes. A million times—yes.”
He slid the ring on her finger, then called Jace over.
Melanie relaxed in his arms and let the words of the song wash over her again.
But now I see
Here in front of me
My chance to finally get it right
And this time we will. Both of us. Together.
A few days later, David made a long-distance phone call. “Looks like your idea worked. Melanie has played that song so much, it’s stuck in my head, and Charles is walking around grinning like he sang it himself. You so grateful to everyone who was part right.”
Mason let out a deep laugh. “I don’t know why people doubt me.”
David had always been of the mind that if a person couldn’t say anything nice, they should say nothing at all—so he held his tongue. “Where do you want me to send the money?”
“From the bet? Keep it. It wasn’t fair anyway. I’m gifted when it comes to knowing how to please a woman.”
“Apparently so,” David said dryly.
“Call me if you ever need any advice about the ladies.”
“Never going to happen,” David said in amusement.
“That’s what they all say,” Mason volleyed back with a self-assured chuckle. “Want to bet on it?”