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“You don’t have to wear it.”
“Yeah, I do.”
Kayla’s happiness was at stake. Evan was keeping up his end of the deal. Angelica had to step up as well.
She determinedly tugged the ring out of the display slot. Then, without giving herself time to think, she shoved it onto her finger.
“It doesn’t burn or anything,” she joked to Tiffany.
“That’s encouraging,” came Evan’s voice as he returned with a glass of red wine.
“Hand it over,” said Angelica, waving him forward. “And keep ’em coming.”
Six
Evan had always loved the Big Blue ranch. It was symbolic of J.D. and the entire Lassiter family. It could be harsh and unpredictable, but it was self-sufficient and endlessly resilient. It stood like a sentinel, protecting those who sought its refuge.
It was good that Angie had come here. Despite their differences, he knew this was hard for her. He had to admit he was baffled by her attitude on the airplane. He couldn’t quite get past the shock that she’d agreed to wear her engagement ring. And, unsettlingly, he couldn’t quite shake the idea that she might have truly changed these past months.
“Angie,” Marlene greeted her niece with open arms as the four trooped into the great room.
Though Marlene was Angie’s aunt, she had been more of a mother figure, since Angie’s own mother had passed away when she was just a baby. The older woman enfolded Angie in a warm embrace.
When Marlene pulled back, her attention turned to Evan. “It’s so wonderful to have you back,” she beamed, moving to give him a hug as well.
“Wonderful to see you, Marlene.”
Marlene then glanced curiously at Tiffany and Deke.
Angie stepped in. “You remember my friend Tiffany? And this is Evan’s friend Deke. Tiffany is also going to be a bridesmaid at Kayla’s wedding.”
“Welcome to Big Blue,” Marlene offered warmly, leading the way into the great room.
She chatted with them there for a few minutes but soon apologized for being tired and retired to her own wing in the huge house.
Angie offered everyone a snack then dispensed guest-room assignments, putting Deke and Tiffany on the second floor near her own bedroom, while relegating Evan to one of the first-floor bedrooms behind the kitchen. He supposed he should be grateful she hadn’t put him in the bunkhouse.
He wasn’t tired, so when the others went upstairs he made his way outside to the huge, flagstone patio. The ranch stretched out around him for miles, a patchwork of groves and lush paddocks. It was peaceful now; the equipment was all shut down for the night and the animals were quiet. The big sky arched above him, scattered with bright stars and a crescent moon.
He sat down on one of the padded deck chairs facing away from the house, drinking in the fresh air and absorbing the ambiance.
“Not much like L.A.,” said Deke, as he approached from the house. “Or Chicago for that matter.”
“I like it,” said Evan. “Oh, maybe not full-time like Chance does. But it’s a great place to come to get your head on straight.”
“Your head’s not on straight?”
“Getting more crooked by the minute,” Evan admitted.
“I tried to talk you out of this,” Deke reminded him, swinging into the chair beside him.
“You try to talk me out of a lot of things.”
“Sometimes I’m right.”
“You’re always right. I just don’t often care.”
Deke chuckled. “If things work out well with the Sagittarius, maybe we should buy a dude ranch next. That way, you can work on your head on a regular basis.”
“It’s usually not a problem. So, why aren’t you upstairs finding an excuse to bother Tiffany?”
“She’s with Angelica right now. But the night is young.”
“You really think you have a shot?”
Deke shrugged. “I think she can see right through my usual charm.”
“Has that ever happened before?”
“Not in recent memory. But I’m up for the challenge. So, how come you’re not warning me off her anymore?”
“Because I know she’s got your number.”
Deke tapped his fingertips against the wooden arm of the chair. “Sad, but true. So, what’s up for tomorrow? Are we going to ride horses, wrangle cows? Maybe drive a tractor?”
“Do you know how to ride a horse?”
“I do not.”
“Angie’s going into the office in Cheyenne.”
“Are you going to follow her?”
“I wish I could. She said she was in a disagreement with one of the executives. Noah Moore. I’d like to know what it’s about. Noah can be opinionated, but he knows his job. He’s got a lot to offer the company.”
“You don’t work there anymore.”
“I know that.”
“Any chance I can talk you out of all this?”
Evan shot him an arched look. “I haven’t decided to do anything yet.”
“Sure you have. The woman’s got your ring back on her finger.”
“It’s a ruse.”
“Keep telling yourself that.” Deke brought his hands down on the chair arms and propelled himself to a standing position. “I’m going to check things out upstairs.”
“Good luck,” Evan offered automatically.
“Right back at you, buddy.” Deke clapped him on the shoulder before he walked away.
Evan settled back into the deep chair, letting his focus go soft on the stars that glowed on the horizon. Deke knew he was still attracted to Angie. No bombshell there. He’d be attracted to her until the day he died. But that didn’t mean there was anything more to the engagement ring than a convenient distraction for Conrad and the press.
A ring in and of itself didn’t mean a damn thing. It was the emotion behind it that counted. It was love, honesty and respect between two people that made an engagement ring, a wedding dress, even a couple’s wedding vows have meaning. Without those things, the ring was just a piece of stone.
“I didn’t see you there.” Angie’s voice interrupted his thought. “I’m sorry, I’ll just—”
“Don’t be silly. It’s your house. I can move to somewhere—”
“You don’t have to leave on my account.”
“I’ll stay if you’ll stay,” he offered. “It’s not a bad idea, you know. For us to practice talking to each other.”
“You think we need practice?”
“I think we’re a little stilted right now.”
“Fair enough.” She sat down in the chair vacated by Deke.
He took note of her glass of wine. “Anaesthetizing yourself against the ring?” He was a little surprised she still had it on.
She covered the diamond with her thumb. “I should have offered you something. Are you thirsty?”
“I’m fine. You don’t have to treat me like a guest.” Then he realized the way that might sound. “Not to say I’m family. I meant that I know I’m an interloper. You can feel free to ignore me.”
She took a contemplative sip of the wine. “You know, that’s not the dumbest thing you’ve ever said.”
“Thank you.” He paused. “Just out of curiosity, what was the dumbest thing I ever said?”
She thought about that for a moment. “It was at the Point Seven sailing regatta the day we met. On the dock next to J.D.’s yacht, Purshing’s Pride. You said: ‘Hello, Angelica. I’m Evan McCain. I work for your father.’”
“You remember the moment we met?”
“You don’t?”
“You were wearing navy slacks and a white cotton blouse. It had dark blue buttons, and I could just barely see your lacy bra underneath.”
“You were checking out my bra?”
“I was checking out your breasts.”
The light was dim on the patio, but he was pretty sure he’d made her blush.
“A gentleman would be ashamed of himself,” she stated.
“A gentleman might not have said it out loud, but he’d be doing exactly the same thing.”
“You’re lucky my father never knew.”
“Your father planned it all along.”
“He did,” she agreed. “He might be shrewd, but he’s not subtle.” She went quiet. “Why do you think he did it?”
“Which part?”
“Us. You and me.”
“You and me is a lot of real estate, Angie.”
She nodded then took another sip. “We’ve never talked about it, you know. His will, the grand scheme, what it did to us.”
“We’ve shouted about it,” said Evan.
“I guess we have.” Her thumb was stroking over her engagement ring. She had beautiful hands, beautiful arms, beautiful shoulders.
He watched the diamond wink in the starlight, his emotions moving to the surface even as he tried to ground himself in reality. “I’m not sure there’s anything more to say.”
She lifted her gaze to his. “It would be nice if there was. It would be nice if there was a conversation that would get us from A to B in a way we’d understand and accept, so that we could move forward.”
He gave in to temptation and took her left hand, holding it up so that he could gaze at the ring. “I’m only looking as far as the next two weeks.”
