Page 32 of The Texas Cowboy's Proposal

“What is all this about? How long have you known about this? Has she taken leave of her senses? She’ll lose everything she cares about. You’ve got to talk her out of this.”

“I tried, but it was quite evident that is not possible.”

“Explain it then.”

“I’m afraid I cannot. It was by accident that you even saw that paperwork. I’m sure when she gets back to town from Fort Worth, she will explain it to you.”

“You know where she is.”

“Well, I imagine if she is in Fort Worth to speak with her attorneys there, she is probably staying at the ranch condominium. Of course, this is all a guess on my part. Now I do have to get to court. I’m sure we’ll talk about this again soon.”

“Oh, I have no doubt we will. Seems we both need good luck to be with us today.” Beaudry was already out the front door of the law firm before Matt even left his inner office.

Nothing was going to keep him from finding Sammi Jo Burkitt and stopping her from making a mistake that would bring pain to them all.

Chapter Fourteen

The last personSammi Jo expected to look up and see walking toward her on the path through the immaculate gardens of the condominium complex was Beaudry Hawkes. She experienced first an amazing exhilaration at the sight of him. Then, almost immediately, it was a feeling of a balloon deflating. Torn between the sudden desire to run meet him, like in some romantic movie scene, and the desire to run in the opposite direction for fear the truth would hurt more, she simply ended up standing still. Let whatever was coming her way do just that.

His face was still partially obscured by distance and shadows underneath the broad brim of his cream-colored Stetson, but his purposeful strides indicated a man who had something important to discuss with someone. And that someone had to be her.

As he neared, his jawline was hardened and set in squared stone. It was clear by his polished boots, freshly starched and creased denim jeans, and the cream shirt with an open collar beneath the dark tan jacket that he had come to the city on business. Any other time, she would have taken more enjoyment at the good-looking cowboy, emanating strength and male sexuality to make any female take note and her breathing go skittery. But he didn’t look like he was merely paying a social call. She stood her ground and waited for him to come to her, drawing a shawl of determination around her shoulders as best she could with no warning.

“Have you done anything?” Those were his first words as he came to a halt mere inches from her. “Please tell me you haven’t signed any paperwork that can’t be torn up.”

“What are you doing here? How did you find me? And what paperwork are you talking about?”

“I know,” he responded. “And don’t ask me how I know. It was all by chance. But what is this nonsense idea about calling off our deal and selling the ranch? If I didn’t know better, I’d say you fell and hit your head or something. This is notyou. You were ready to fight to your last breath, to go so far as to marry me, to keep your heritage. And now, you say, ‘forget it?’” He took a breath and lowered his voice, even though they were the only ones visible in the gardens at the hour before sundown. “I know you could easily do without me and Lacy as part of the deal, but you without your home—that is notyou.You cannot do without the Aces High. Something’s happened, and I have a right to know what happened to change our agreement and your determination. Did what I said the other night at dinner have anything to do...?”

“No, that doesn’t. It is so much more.”

What would he do if she blurted out the truth?You and Lacy and your lives are more important to me.He’d turn tail and run. Or would he? Was the reason he was so upset right now because he might be losing out on the three million dollars and fifty thousand acres free and clear? That was probably more like it.

“What my grandmother did was wrong on many levels. But it should never have involved you and Lacy. Grandmother often acted without regard to others’ feelings, but I can’t do that. I thought I could. But it isn’t right to expect you to put your lives on hold, basically to appease a stranger’s needs or wants. I reacted selfishly. Now I am going to try my best to change that. You and Lacy won’t be expected to interrupt your lives and the direction you need to go in order to be happy. You are free to have the right people in your lives and make plans and not be shackled for three years. Lacy needs a person who is good for her and will be there forever, not just a visitor. And you deserve a wife—a real one, a much better one than before.”

Beaudry’s gaze was thoughtful and those emeralds gleamed with sparks of thoughts he didn’t voice right away.

Please, just accept this and go away.It was hard to keep from breaking down in front of him. She had no idea just how hard it would be in reality.

“Have you had dinner?”

His question wasn’t what she had steeled herself to expect. Her brain had to shift a gear or two. Beaudry took the lead.

“You freshen up or whatever you need to do, and I’ll wait downstairs for you. I hear there are a couple good restaurants in walking distance. It looks to be a nice night for some fresh air. I’ll walk you back to the lobby.” His hand lightly cupped her elbow and they turned in unison toward the building. Her brain was in a quandary. They both stayed silent until they stopped at the elevator doors. He dropped his hand.

Sammi Jo looked up at him. “You don’t have to go out to dinner with me. We’ve—”

“We’ve both got to eat. And keep something important in mind, Samantha Josephine Burkitt. When have you ever known me to do something I do not want to do? What has ever been strong enough to make me do that? I’ll be down here waiting.” He was already walking off as the elevator doors slid open and she stepped inside. She watched his departure until she was whisked away.

*

How many timeshad she picked up the phone to tell the concierge downstairs to let the man in the cowboy hat waiting for her know that she would not be coming down and he could leave? Only to set it down without dialing. And even while she had rummaged through the closet full of clothing her sister kept in the three-bedroom condo, finally choosing a sleeveless midnight-blue and lime-green swirl-patterned sheath that fell to just above her ankles with a side-slit to the knee, and silver sandals with a bit of heel, so she wouldn’t be so dwarfed next to his height—even then, she still toyed with the idea of canceling, but talked herself out of it a half dozen more times. What would it hurt? One last dinner with the man who had come to mean more than she expected. A father and daughter she would have fallen more in love with over that three years and then would have had to let them go? Nothing was ever certain, but her heart was in a tender state from the last few weeks. Too much change, too many decisions, and she’d made decisions that had caused heartbreak or would most certainly do that the further they all went with the charade. A clean break was always best.

Then why dinner?

Those three words followed her as she grabbed the matching shawl off the bed and headed for the elevator. Beaudry was right there in the lobby, waiting for her.Because it’s Beaudry. That simple answer cemented why her heart had overruled her brain. To spend a few more hours in his company before they all went back to their previous lives.

Her heart skipped a beat or two as the very real slow smile of male appreciation transformed his features. She was instantly glad that she had chosen the outfit and then piled her long hair into an easy updo with a couple of silver hairpins, wispy tendrils drifting along the skin of her neck. Her makeup was light, but more than she normally took time for in her day.

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