AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She stroked her fingers through her horse’s mane, a nervous habit he recognized well. “Stone, I’m... I don’t know what to say other than I feel betrayed.” She looked up at him, her eyes so full of pain the clover-green was dewy with unshed tears. “How could you say you love me? How could you propose to me and keep something this important from me?”
“I intended to tell you, even though I knew it would drive you away. Maybe that’s why I delayed because I knew it would make you leave me.” Just as it was doing now. The hole in his chest widened until he fought back the urge to howl in denial. “Then it was too late. Apparently, it still is.”
She turned to him hard and fast, fire spitting from her eyes. “Don’t you get it? It’s not that you had the procedure. That happened before we were a couple. It’s because you lied to me, again and again. Telling me now... I don’t know if that’s enough. I just don’t know.”
“God, Johanna.” His voice cracked as he reached for her.
She yanked away, her horse sidestepping sharply. “I can’t...”
“Can’t what?”
“I can’t process this. I need air—away from you.” She hitched a foot in the stirrup and swung up onto her palomino.
He didn’t bother to stop her. There wasn’t any use. His worst fear had happened, just not for the reason he’d expected. She hadn’t left him because he couldn’t father her children. She’d left him because he hadn’t trusted in their love enough to tell her.
* * *
Johanna gripped the reins tightly in her hands even though she knew Goldie could find her way back in the dark. The evening had started out on such a hopeful note only to end in total heartbreak. She’d even chosen Mariah’s horse to ride as a tribute to the woman who meant so much to them all. Now she could only think of everything they’d all lost.
Goldie slowed from a canter to a trot as they neared the stables. And, oh, God, on the lanai, a wedding was taking place. The trees were strung with lights. Sunflowers and wildflowers filled the space, a live band played as the happy couple walked back down the aisle. The whole ranch would echo with music all night with the reception in a special barn built for just such catered occasions.
She’d dreamed of a wedding just like this.
Squeezing her eyes closed, she let Goldie find her way back to the stables. The regular scents of hay and leather offered none of the normal calm she found here in the barn, her realm. The noise level didn’t help with the reception in full swing and some kind of party going on in the hot tub, too. She could have sworn she heard someone calling her name....
She looked back over her shoulder.
Amie was walking fast in a whispery sequined sun dress and cowboy boots only someone like her could pull off. Her brother trailed behind her, hands in his jeans pocket.
“Wait!” Amie waved, bracelets sliding to her elbow. “Johanna, I have to talk to you.”
There was no missing the panic in her voice, which launched an echoing wave of panic in Johanna. “Is something wrong with Mariah?” She slid from her horse, her own boots a dusty, scarred contrast to Amie’s shiny black leather.
Amie shook her head, her long hair in two loose braids swishing. “No, she’s fine. We just got a surprise visitor. The king—Enrique Medina—is in the lodge. He wants to save us the trouble of delivering Ruby so he’s coming here.” She clapped her hands, bracelets jingling. “Thank God we had the presidential suite available because every other room is booked. But he’s here and he wants to meet Ruby, and Gran couldn’t find you or Stone, and you didn’t have your cell phones.”
Alex put a hand on top of his sister’s head. “Amie. Chill. Johanna’s got it now. Right, Jo?”
Johanna looked back and forth between them and it didn’t appear they were joking. “The king that wants Ruby is here now?”
Amie nodded quickly. “We can’t keep him waiting any longer.”
Johanna looked down at the stained jeans and sweaty white tank top. But he wanted his dog now. “Give me five minutes to throw on a dress and pull back my hair. I’ll be right there.”
She could do this. For Mariah, for Ruby, and yes, even for herself. She could pull this off. What a time to realize Stone had helped her unearth a confidence in herself she hadn’t known existed.
* * *
By the time Stone finished riding alone for an hour, then brushing down Copper and returning him to the stable, he still had no clue what—if anything—he could say to Johanna to ease the pain he’d seen in her eyes. Pain he’d put there. He loved her and yet he’d still fallen short.
Music echoed from the barn on the other side of the stable yard, and from the sound of things, it was a wedding celebration in full swing. As if he didn’t already feel lower than dirt. Had fate scheduled a wedding for tonight with the specific purpose of torturing him? Seeing the happy bride and groom stabbed at him with all he should have given Johanna. She wanted a family. She deserved to have the family she dreamed of. She had such a loving, nurturing heart. Would she leave here altogether?
She loved the ranch as much as he did.
He hadn’t thought about that before. She’d been tied to the land in one way or another for most of her life. Just because he held the deed to a piece of property didn’t negate all the heart she’d poured into Hidden Gem.
The only thing that kept his feet moving right now was the need to check on his grandmother.
He darted from the stable to the main lodge, boots sending dust puffing with each heavy step. And damn it, he’d left his suitcase at Johanna’s. But he wasn’t willing to push his luck with her tonight. He needed to get his head together first and come up with a plan to ease her heart even if that meant he couldn’t have her back. He wanted her happiness above everything.
Except plans were in short supply as he climbed the steps to the massive log cabin–style lodge that had been his home his whole life. He should have taken a side entrance but his feet were on autopilot. Staff cleared away the wedding decorations on the lanai.
Pushing through the large double doors into the great room, he nodded to all the staff but didn’t pause long enough to give anyone a chance to speak. He vaguely registered there was a frenetic buzz to the place that didn’t seem connected to the wedding celebration since that was all taking place outside. Yet nothing appeared out of the norm. Wealthy socialites curled up on the leather sofas with cocktails. Older couples played poker in a far corner by the massive granite fireplace. He could hear laughter from the hot tub outside. Alex’s business ran smooth as silk.
Only a few more steps and he would be clear of people, period, and into the private wing. He could shut himself in his suite with...nothing. He had nothing left and had no one to blame but himself.
A door opened ahead of him and his gut clenched at the thought of another confrontation with his mother. Instead, his grandmother stepped out on her own two feet, with a cane, but walking. She even wore clothes instead of a robe, a simple dress but complete with a Diamonds in the Rough signature piece around her neck. Amie hovered beside her, as if his willowy featherweight cousin could catch their grandmother.
Stone charged ahead. “Gran, what are you doing out of bed? You should be resting.”
She waved him back. “I’m fine. The doctor released me as long as I use the cane.”
Amie interrupted, “A walker. But she would only agree to the cane since it’s one of our designs.”
Stone felt like his head was about to explode. “Let me walk you back to your room. We’ll talk over tea or something while you rest.”
His grandmother patted his hand. “Stone, the king is here. In the presidential suite.”
“Run that by me again?”
“Stone, we need to get moving,” Amie said. “Enrique Medina decided he would come to us for his dog to save you the trouble. Johanna is doing the meet and greet now because we couldn’t find you and you weren’t answering your damn phone.” She swatted him on the arm. “Now let’s get moving to help her.”
He glanced at Alex. “Do you have Gran?”
His cousin nodded.
“Thanks.” Stone sprinted down the hall. Johanna had freaked out over meeting the Landis-Renshaw family. This was going to be way outside her comfort zone. While he knew she was amazing and would handle the meeting smoothly, he hated that she would feel nervous or uneasy, especially after the emotional hell they’d both been through today.
He passed by familiar framed landscapes mixed with photos, images of famous people who’d stayed at the lodge or worn Hidden Gem pieces. Finally—thank God—finally, he made it to the presidential suite. The door was cracked open enough for him to see Johanna sitting next to an older gentleman in a suit with an ascot. Johanna held Pearl, and Ruby slept at the king’s feet. If Stone hadn’t known the man was deposed royalty, he would have thought she was talking to any prospective pet owner.
