Page 24 of The Banker's Bride

He took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Megan, I’m so sorry.”

She nodded. “But I made him a promise to have a better life, to marry and have children. But most of all, he made me promise to be happy.”

Dallas smiled, his eyes filled with sincerity. “I’m going to help you keep that promise.”

Her lips curled into a slight smile. “So, now that ye know my story, why I came here, what’s yers? What happened to ye, Dallas?”

He sat back, holding his lemonade with both hands. “I’m not sure now is the time. Come on. It’s time for bed.” He started to get up, but she stopped him.

“Dallas, I want to know.”

He sat back down as a faraway look came into his eyes. “My father was a difficult man. As I told you, he was a sharecropper and we didn’t have much while I was growing up, but there’s more.” He bit his lower lip, obviously wondering how much to tell her. “He was a drunkard. And when he drank, he beat my mother and me.”

Megan gasped.

Dallas sighed and continued, “In my young mind, I thought that it must have been my fault. That I had done something wrong that caused him to beat me. So, I tried to be perfect. I wanted to have the perfect job, live the perfect life in the perfect town—”

“And have the perfect wife,” Megan finished, cutting him off, understanding him much more now. “Dallas, no one’s perfect… especially not me.”

Dallas kissed her fingertips. “Megan, I know that—”

“Dallas, ye don’t have to try to impress people with yer money.” She pulled her hand away and placed it on his cheek. “People will be more impressed if ye let them in.”

He sat back abruptly. “What do you mean?”

“If ye let them see you… the real you….” She leaned close, placing her hand over his. “If ye let them into yer heart, then people will like ye for who ye are and not fer yer money.”

He raised her hand to his lips. “Well, my wife, you have given me a lot to think about. But now, I think it’s time we retire for the evening.” Then he raised his eyes to hers, a mischievous smile curling his lips. “That is,ifI’m allowed in.”

She laughed. “Why don’t you take me upstairs and we’ll find out.”

With that, he scooped her into his arms and walked out of the dining room and through the living room, headed toward the stairs.

Megan laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Do ye intend to carry me to bed every night?”

He nuzzled her neck. “Until I’m an old man.”

As this wonderful man carried her up the stairs headed toward their bedroom, she wondered if they would ever be able to escape their pasts and have a good life together… or were they doomed from the start.

Chapter 6

Dallas

Dallas looked in the mirror and finished tying his tie. He and Megan had spent the last several weeks preparing for this party. Dallas had taken care of preparing the house, and Megan had made the arrangements for the food with Jacques. He chuckled to himself, remembering how she and Jacques had argued about the meal preparations. She had insisted on helping and he kept insisting that she stay out of the kitchen. Finally, she had relented, but she oversaw the menu, and nothing was to be prepared without her approval, much to Jacques’s chagrin. When Jacques had come to him complaining, Dallas had simply told him that she was the lady of the house now, and as such, her word was law. Jacques had stormed off, but didn’t give Megan any more trouble.

In the living room, the furniture had been removed for dancing, and the wooden floor shone to perfection. He had also purchased long lengths of white fabric from Kenzie Baker and had it draped artfully from the balcony to the floor. The balcony stretched around three sides of the second floor, stopping at the front wall of the house. Several lengths of fabric were spaced apart on both sides, leaving the space to the left of the staircase for the string quartet that Dallas had brought in from Laramie. Fabric also adorned the grand staircase attached to the back balcony, draped artfully and tied off with white ribbon. This wasthe first big party that he had ever hosted, and he wanted it to be spectacular. It had been a while since he had been to a big party himself, let alone host one.

To his knowledge, this would be the first party of this magnitude hosted by anyone in Whiskey River and he wanted to make a good impression. Yes, barn dances were held, and dances in the church recreation hall were held every week, but this would be the first big party that anyone had held outside of the church. Dallas had even invited Charles Whitfield, his best friend from college and business associate, and Charles had sent word that he was coming. Although he was no longer the owner of the bank, Dallas knew that Charles would want to check on the business while he was there. But Dallas didn’t mind. He liked doing business with Charles.

Dallas wanted to make a good impression to show Charles that he was doing well, although not as well as Charles and his family. Wealth of that stature only came from the accumulation of generations.

After they had graduated from college, Charles had helped him to start his bank in Whiskey River, and Dallas had paid him back in full… in record time. Charles had heard of entrepreneurs with good business ideas and helped to fund their businesses to get them started if he liked the business venture. Since he and Charles were friends, it was natural that Charles had given Dallas his start in Whiskey River. Dallas owed everything to Charles. Not only was he his best friend, he had also been his financier. Dallas had learned a lot about business from him, and he was more than willing to share his expertise. Tonight, he wanted to prove not only to Charles, but to himself that he was worthy.

Dallas slipped into his suit coat, vowing to save his top coat for the party. Looking in the mirror, he adjusted his dress shirt and smoothed back his blond hair. It had just turned Novemberand was getting quite cold out now. Dallas knew that winter would soon be upon them. He just hoped that the weather wasn’t as bad this winter as the last. A blizzard had blown through, incapacitating every aspect of the town. The only thing that managed to be open each week was the church, thanks to Reverend Henley.

This year, Dallas was looking forward to spending the holidays with his new bride. He hoped that Charles could stay through Christmas and the New Year, as well, but Dallas knew that Charles liked to spend the holidays in New York with his family. Although Charles never told him, Dallas suspected that his father required that he be with the family for the holidays.

Dallas slipped on his hat and headed down the stairs.

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