Branded for You (17 page)

“We met at the county fair.” Megan ran her finger along the rim of the hot porcelain teacup. “You hadn’t shown up and he introduced himself to me. When I got the message that you and Jenny couldn’t make it, I agreed to spend the day with him.” Megan squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. “I don’t want to believe he knew who I am.”

Tess sighed. “Don’t listen to Mom. She’s always been too hard on you. Sunday was worse because of what happened to Dad and she said some things she shouldn’t have.”

“What if she’s right?” Megan clenched her hand on the tabletop. “What if Ryan was trying to use me in some way?”

Tess shook her head. “It makes no sense. How could he use you to get to Mom and Dad? Mom was just freaking out.”

“Of course you’re right.” Megan slid her finger into the teacup handle. “But why me? Why did he pick me at the fair?”

“You’re a beautiful woman inside and out.” Tess wrapped her hands around her teacup as if warming them. “I’m sure he was attracted to what he saw.”

“I have such a hard time reconciling the Ryan I’d gotten to know with the one who’s taking away my family’s home.” Megan met her sister’s gaze. “He was fun and kind, and seemed popular with kids and adults wherever we went.”

“How well did you get to know him?” Tess asked.

Megan looked down at her hot tea. “As well as any couple could.”

“I’m sorry.” Tess reached out and covered Megan’s hand with her own. “What are you going to do now?”

Megan sipped her tea and set the cup down. “It’s over, of course.”

“You really care for him,” Tess said.

“Too much.” Megan rubbed her eyes with her thumb and forefinger. “I was falling for him so hard… I think I did fall for him.” She looked at Tess and held her hand to her chest. “It hurts. It’s like I lost not only my father, but someone else I cared for.” She had cried countless tears, not only for the loss of her father, but for Ryan, too.

“Aw, honey.” Tess rubbed her hand along Megan’s arm. “I didn’t realize it was that serious.”

“It wasn’t—it’s not—it’s—” Megan bit her lower lip. “I don’t know what it is.”

“You’re in love with him,” Tess said quietly.

“I can’t be in love with him.” Megan shook her head. “Look what he’s done.”

“Dad would have had the heart attack eventually, you know that.” Tess took a deep breath. “The doctor said it was just waiting to happen and that it was probably a coincidence.”

Megan frowned at her sister. “Why are you defending Ryan now? You were just as angry with him as Mom and Dad have been.”

Tess paused as if thinking over her words. “Because if you care for him then there’s something there that’s good.”

“Yeah, I’ve got a great track record.” Megan gave an unladylike snort. “Just look at Bart.”

“There’s good in Bart,” Tess said and Megan looked at her with surprise. “At least there was. Unfortunately, he was eventually won over by the Dark Side.”

Megan frowned. “I’m not so sure I’m keeping up with your logic.”

“What’s he like?” Tess asked.

Megan thought about Ryan and the wonderful times they’d had. “He’s well-liked, friendly, fun, caring.”

Tess rested her elbow on the table and put her chin in her hand. “Did he treat you well?”

Megan couldn’t help a smile. “No one has ever treated me better. He was sweet and attentive, yet he’s a real man’s man.”

“Mom and Dad have a different way of looking at things,” Tess said. “Just maybe they were all wrong about Ryan.” Tess folded her hands on the table. “If he’s as good of a guy as he sounds, you need to give him another chance.”

With a sigh, Megan said, “I don’t know.”

“Older sisters know best,” Tess said. “And I say you should talk to him.”

“No fair pulling out the Older Sister card.” Megan looked up at the clock. “It’s time to get ready for the funeral.”

“Hopefully we can get Mom to pull herself together for it,” Tess said with a sigh.

Between the two of them, they were able to get Margaret dressed in a simple black sheath dress and black heels. Tess had bought a stylish hat for their mother with a veil that came down just below the eyes so that no one could easily see her vacant stare.

“I’m still having a hard time with Jenny going to her grandfather’s funeral,” Tess said to Megan before Mrs. Webb arrived with her daughter. “It’s hard enough letting it sink in myself.”

“I understand.” Megan nodded. Even five days later she was still having a difficult time coming to terms with the fact that her father was dead, much less having had to sit down with a five-year-old and explain that someone she loved had died.

When Mrs. Webb arrived, Jenny came rushing in, carrying her doll with the frizzy blonde ponytail and one eye glued shut. Instead of the doll being naked as usual, she was wearing a little white dress with black polka dots, and the doll had a black ribbon around her ponytail.

Jenny threw herself into her mother’s arms. Tess picked up her daughter and hugged her tightly.

As Tess set her down on the floor, Jenny held her doll tightly in one arm. “Mrs. Webb made Bette a new dress.” She held her doll up with both hands, presenting Bette to her mother. “Isn’t she pretty?”

“I see that.” Tess looked like she was holding back tears. “She’s very pretty. How about we get you dressed, too?”

Jenny pointed to Mrs. Webb who was holding a plastic bag over a hanger. “Mrs. Webb made me a dress that matches Bette’s.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Webb.” Tess gave the older lady a kiss on the cheek. “You’re wonderful.”

“Are you going to be all right, Miss Tess?” She enveloped Tess in a big hug.

When they parted, Tess sniffled and wiped a tear from here eye. “Eventually,” she said. Mrs. Webb had become like family to Tess and Jenny.

Mrs. Webb turned to Megan. “What about you, Miss Megan?”

“It’s hard,” Megan replied. “It will take a while.”

“Of course it will.” Mrs. Webb patted her shoulder. “Is there anything I can do for you girls?”

Tess and Megan both shook their heads. “Thank you,” Megan said and Tess spoke in kind.

“Where are we going, Mommy?” Jenny asked.

“I’ll explain as we get you dressed,” Tess said.

When Jenny was finished dressing, she indeed matched Bette and wore a white dress with black polka dots and black bows in her hair. She wore shiny black Mary Jane’s and white socks.

Every pew in the small church filled after Megan, Margaret, Tess, Mrs. Webb, and Jenny, carrying Bette, had arrived. It was a church her father and mother had belonged to over the past year since arriving in Prescott.

Megan hadn’t realized how many people her parents had come to know since moving to this town. Fellow churchgoers, business owners they had worked with, loyal patrons, and neighbors came to pay their respects.

When the casket was carried into the church, Megan turned to watch the procession.

A jolt went through her when she saw Ryan standing in the very back, against the wall. He wore a cream-colored dress shirt; black western dress pants; polished black boots; and was holding a black western hat. He watched the pallbearers and didn’t meet her gaze. She wasn’t sure if he realized she’d seen him. He’d come to pay his respects to her father.

She turned away and faced the pastor at the front of the church. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she listened to him give the eulogy. A ringing in her ears made it hard to hear as she felt the gut-wrenching emptiness that was left in place of the man who had been her father. Two men whom Megan had never met stood and spoke, each saying in their own way that her father was a good man and that they had been fortunate to know him.

She turned once during the service and saw that Ryan had sat down in the last row, but as the service ended and the exit procession started, he left.

When it was time to go to the cemetery, the pallbearers carried the casket to the hearse parked outside. Megan and her family followed down the aisle, a part of the procession as they headed to the waiting limo.

As they proceeded, Megan thought about her father’s last words and the gift he’d given to her. She had been able to forgive him and not hold on to the resentment that had been in her heart.

Chapter 19

Two days after the funeral, Tess told Megan she wanted to go for a drive in the afternoon, that there were things she wanted to talk about. They’d left Jenny with Mrs. Webb, who was also taking care of Margaret.

Their mother had started a slow journey back to reality and Megan was relieved that she was coming back to them.

The day was sunny, the rainy weather having passed on.

“Have you called him yet?” Tess asked as she drove through town.

“Ryan?” Megan asked.

Tess rolled her eyes at Megan. “No. Santa Claus. Who else?”

 “No, I haven’t talked with St. Nick or Ryan either, for that matter.” Megan shook her head. “But he has tried to call and text.”

“Then we’re going.” Tess turned onto the highway leading out of town.

“What?” Megan looked at her sister. “Where are we going?”

“I think you should give Ryan a chance to say whatever it is he has to say.” Tess looked straight ahead at the highway.

Megan narrowed her gaze. “Tess…”

“I pulled the Older Sister card, remember?” Tess kept her eyes on the highway.

“So what are you saying?” Megan said slowly.

“I think in your heart you want to talk to Ryan.” Tess finally looked at Megan. “You need to talk to him.”

Megan looked out the window. “Where are we going?” she asked again.

Tess bit her lower lip. “Don’t be mad at me.”

Megan’s heart started pounding. “Tess…”

Tess looked apologetic as she pulled the car off the highway and onto a dirt road.

The road that led to Ryan’s ranch.

Megan widened her eyes. “You turn this car right around.”

Tess had both hands on the wheel as her car shimmied down the dirt road toward Ryan’s place. “I’ve always been protective of you, Megan. But I want you to be happy too. I guess what I’m hoping is that maybe there is a valid explanation and you can have a happy ever after.”

Megan stared out the window at the passing scenery, nerves suddenly twisting her belly. “As if there is such a thing.”

“Before Steve died, I believed in it.” Tess’s voice was quiet. “I don’t know if I’ll ever find a man I could love as much as I loved Steve. I’m not sure I want to.”

“Steve was a great guy.” Megan felt a wave of sadness for her sister. “You have Jenny and that has to help.”

Tess smiled. “Jenny is our blessing. She reminds me so much of her father. He was a good man.”

“Yes, he was,” Megan said. “I would love to find someone as special as Steve.”

Tess met Megan’s gaze. “Ryan might be that man.”

“I don’t know.” Megan pushed hair from her eyes. “I just don’t know what to think anymore.” She clenched her fists on her lap. “I don’t know if this is a good idea. I’ve ignored his calls and messages.”

“Stop second guessing yourself. He’ll want to talk to you,” Tess said. “I saw him at the funeral and he sent flowers, too.”

Megan’s stomach jolted as they crossed the cattle guard and she saw Ryan’s truck. Tess drove up the driveway and pulled her Honda Accord next to Ryan’s vehicle and parked.

Tess looked at Megan. “You’re not mad at me, are you?”

Megan tried to be mad at her sister but couldn’t be. Still she said, “I’m still thinking about whether or not I want to strangle you right now.”

The corners of Tess’s lips tipped up in a smile. “I knew you wanted to talk with him. You just needed a little push.”

“You’re coming with me, right?” Megan looked at Tess. “After all, this was your idea.”

“I’d like the opportunity to meet him.” Tess stared at the house. “Size him up.”

“Haven’t you met him at the restaurant when he’s stopped by?” Megan asked.

“Not really.” Tess unfastened her seat belt. “I’ve seen him go into the kitchen to talk with Dad, but I never had the chance to meet him. Dad always came out raving mad after Ryan left, so all I have are negative images of him.”

“So, what makes you think he’s okay now?” Megan asked.

“You know how negative our parents are and how worked up Dad would get over things.” Tess looked thoughtful. “Maybe there was more to it than what we saw.”

Megan thought about the man she’d gotten to know. Was she being too hard on him? Maybe she needed to trust her own judgment like her father had said.

Out loud she said, “But he was foreclosing on our parents and not trying to work anything out with them. Something just isn’t right about that.”

“Well, you’ll get your chance to talk to him.” Tess nodded in the direction of the corrals.

Megan followed her gaze and her heart jerked in her chest as Ryan reached them, pulling his horse to a stop. The horse had a red coat with a black mane, tail, and socks.

But the horse wasn’t really what she was looking at. Ryan had her attention.

He didn’t have a shirt on, just jeans low-slung at his hips, worn boots, and a white straw western hat. In that one moment she remembered him taking her rough and hard the first night and how much that had excited her. In the next moment she thought about his gentleness on the blanket in the forest beneath candlelight.

She shook her head, rattling the thoughts around in her brain.

“Go on,” Tess said quietly.

Megan unfastened her seatbelt and started to open the car door. Ryan had already dismounted and was there, opening it for her.

He took her hand and she felt the familiar connection between them as he helped her out of the car. And then they were face to face, their eyes locked, neither of them saying a word.

The incredible weekend they’d had together came rushing through her mind. Not just the sex, but fishing, hiking, skinny-dipping, and so much more.

And then he brought her into his arms and hugged her tight. She felt the tension and emotion rushing from her body.

“Hi.” Tess’s voice jerked Megan out of her trance and she stepped out of his embrace. “I’m Tess.” She held her hand out and Ryan turned to her and took it.

“Ryan McBride.” He released her hand and touched the brim of his hat. “A pleasure to meet you, Tess.”