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Ash raised his hand and spoke loudly enough for the growing gathering to hear him. “Ladies, if you’ll follow me, we have seating in the covered arena next to Barn Number Two, where you can be in the shade while you hold your discussion. If you’ll all follow me and”—he pointed with a grin at Joaquin, who waved a hand in greeting—“Joaquin Martinez, we’re going to take you on a short tour of the Andalusian stallions and mares housed in that barn and then on to the arena where we’ll get you comfortably seated.”
Travis chuckled when several of the women sighed dreamily as they gazed at the cowboys who’d dropped everything to help Veronica out.
Several of the ladies hugged Veronica, giving her personal apologies and vowing to do what they could to help her in light of the way she’d been victimized.
Veronica came to stand beside him as they watched the ladies follow Ash and Joaquin on the short walk to Barn Number Two. Like tour guides, the cowboys took turns speaking to the ladies as they went, asking them for quiet as they entered the barn, and told them a bit about what responsibilities they held.
Travis glanced at Veronica, who glowed in the dappled sunlight as she watched her readers follow the men. He said, “You know, this could wind up being an expensive day.”
Veronica shrugged and shook her head. “I don’t give a damn. I’m happy to foot the bill. It’s because of ladies like those I’m able to do what I love more than anything else in the world. Grace is working her event planning magic as we speak. I’m amazed by what she already has set up. Whoever did this thought they would hurt me but they’re going to be disappointed.”
Travis fell a little harder as he looked at her. This woman who struggled with panic attacks and online bullying was turning a situation that had been intended to hurt her into something good. Something special. Not for herself, but for others who had been made innocent victims. He’d heard from some of them that they’d driven for more than six hours to get to the ranch. One lady had taken the day off of work and booked a red-eye flight the night before so she could be in Texas for the event.
“What can I do to help?”
Veronica looked at him and his cock tingled at the fierce light in her eyes, before she tilted her head and slid her arms around him, letting out a little sigh as she squeezed him. “Call Hank and let him know what happened. I just want him to know what happened. I know he’ll come when he can.”
With the help of all the individuals behind the scenes, the day went forward as though it’d been planned for months in advance. After lunch, the ladies had the opportunity to take a horseback ride with the ranch hands and see a working cattle and horse ranch firsthand.
Maya Warner, Emma Rivers, and Rosemary Garner arrived. They talked about being involved in a ménage, from the standpoint of a businesswoman, and Rosemary went on to talk about being a mom in a polyamorous relationship. The ladies’ questions flew fast and furious and the gathering was filled with laughter and gaiety as the readers wrapped their minds around how those ladies made a fantasy relationship work for them in real life.
Travis was awed, as he watched Veronica handle the crowd, which grew to fifty ladies by the time late afternoon flowed into early evening. She answered their questions and talked about what the future held for her as a writer of erotic romance. He watched and listened carefully, because the worry had crept into his mind that perhaps the perpetrator was among the group, but none of those ladies seemed like the type.
Travis listened as the women stood and asked questions about her inspirations and her struggles. Veronica blended vulnerability with professionalism, letting them see into her writing day, without letting her boundaries down completely. And she never revealed her arrangement with him and Hank.
The topic shifted and she shared a few of her struggles when one lady asked her how she maintained a private life. Travis could tell that the day had worked magic with the readers when several vowed to help counteract such attacks online, both with her and with other writers. Veronica cautioned them, stressing that it wasn’t worth drawing fire from individuals who clearly had a lot of technology at their disposal and possible sociopathic tendencies. She asked instead that they simply enjoy her books and the books of other authors and continue encouraging writers.
