Page 6 of Rival Heart
“Why, we just wanted to come out and see how you are, Rebel. We haven’t really talked to you much since your date.”
“I prefer not to think about that night as anything but a huge mistake. I never should have let y’all talk me into that fiasco. That guy was an idiot, and he solidified every misgiving I’ve ever had about dating and wanting a man. No thank you!”
Louse sighs and I swear she almost looks like she wipes a tear from her eye. When I narrow my eyes at her I swear her sparkling blue eyes look suspiciously dry.
“Just because one man was a mistake doesn’t mean there can’t be others who are perfect for you. One perfect man is all we get sometimes but he’s out there, honey. He’s out there.” She reaches out and pats my hand and I fight my overwhelming urge to roll my eyes. There’s no way in hell I’m ever taking another chance on a man.
If my overbearing father is anything to go by, they’re all out there just waiting until they get you right where they want you so they can start molding you into whatever freaky fetish or nonsensical wish they’ve got in their heads.
Enter the dragon.
My father’s huge pick-up pulls up alongside Margot and Louise’s car and he steps out, his long, lean length eating up the short distance and his cold, dark eyes staring at them like they’re roadkill.
I step in front of them, not trusting his infamous temper one little bit. “What are you doing home, Dad?”
He stops and gets that chilly look on his face that I hate. “Well, it seems my dear daughter has been checking with the bank about when she can take control of her own trust.” His snake eyes don’t look away and it’s hard not to flinch at his cold words. “Any particular reason you’re looking at that right now, Rebel?”
I stretch myself up to my full five-foot two height and pretend like this is no big deal when I know it’s about to get real ugly here.
“I’m looking at buying someplace. And that money is legally mine. I can do whatever the hell I want with it.”
“The hell it is!” His steel voice cracks out like a whip. “You’re not going any damn place except right here, Rebel.”
“I want my own place to call my home. I’m not needed or wanted here.”
“Yeah. You’re part of the deal, Rebel. I want to see that you’re looked after. That’s why you’re going to marry Jefferson Randall. His daddy wants to see him make something out of himself, more than just his son. We made a deal; he gets this property and a wife who’ll help him run it and keep him in line a bit and you get instant security.”
My mouth falls open. “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself and I’m not marrying any damn guy that you’ve deemed acceptable in some gambit with one of your dumb-ass friends.”
He leans closer and his eyes flick over to the avidly listening elderly troublemakers. “Don’t make me do something I’ll regret, Rebel Hawthorne. You will absolutely marry the man and what’s more you’ll like it too. Or else.”
“Or else what?”
His dark eyes flash like onyx. “There really is no or else. You will marry him. One way or the other. Now I need to get back to work so we can get this deal done. But don’t think you’re gonna get around this deal, Rebel. It’s done. Just need the wedding ceremony to make it official.”
Then he stalks off and the two elderly ladies eye me up and down sympathetically. “Seems like maybe you could use our help after all, Rebel.”
I sigh and flinch. What the hell am I going to do now?
FIVE
Jace
Wiping sweat from my brow,I squint into the distance, sighing when I see another trail of dust coming from the road. The corral fence is finally almost fixed, and I was just about to move on to the interior of the barn so that I can finally move in some of my new horse stock.
My dad’s ranch has always been cattle, but I’m not interested in following in his staggering footsteps. I want to forge my own destiny. Bonus points for fucking up any last vestiges of his dream.
Yeah. I don’t have a lot of fuzzy feelings left for the old man. Don’t get me wrong… I love my dad. But that doesn’t mean I don’t recognize that he wasn’t a wonderful father and a great human being.
I sigh when I see the lavender car coming closer. I know that color and I know who’s in that car. You can’t live anywhere in Hamilton without knowing all about the elderly matchmakers. They’re always the talk of the town with their antics.
The cloud of dust when the car slams to a stop almost chokes me to death. Coughing, I wave a hand in front of my face and prepare for what’s coming.
It doesn’t take long.
Margot and her buddy, Louise, step out of the car and rush at me like sparkling lavender birds, chattering at me until I hold a hand up and growl, “Whoa, whoa! What the hell are you two yammering about?”
Margot grunts, glaring at me. “You’re being rude, Jace Henry.”
