Conall's Legacy (15 page)

“I could but then she could stay safe and tucked away here. She needs to face her demons. To go back to LA.” She shifted to look Drake eye to eye. “When the time comes my attorney will come for her in the company jet. I think, I hope, she’ll come to see me one more time.” Her voice cracked on the last words.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? Seems kind of drastic.”

“No, I’m not sure, but I can’t think of a better way to get her there, and the psychiatrists I’ve spoken with say that facing her phobia could help.”

“Won’t that just scare the heck out of her?”

“Part of the therapy is learning it’s okay to feel fear. You just have to do something about it.” Tears gathered at the corners of Marie’s eyes.

“You are one hell of a woman, Mrs. Montoya.” His voice sounded thick, and Drake leaned back against the fence.

Marie noted a change; regret reflected from his eyes. “What’s wrong, Drake? You look sad.”

He shook his head. “I always let down the women I care about. My mother, my friend’s wife, and now Luisa.”

“I’m sure that’s not true.” She saw a man of integrity and strength standing before her.

“I’m afraid it is. Besides, I don’t know how I can help Luisa.”

“Just be here for her when the time comes.”

“I wish I could, but I should be back at work by then, and I have unfinished business in Los Angeles myself.”

“Oh. The other woman.” A heavy silence fell between them. Marie thought of Luisa alone once again and her heart wept.

CHAPTER TWELVE

The heat was already rising as Luisa fed the horses and cows Saturday morning breakfast. Stopping in front of the large foaling stall, she glanced over Knight’s Dawn and assessed her condition. Inside the stall, she ran her hands over the mare’s sides and back. She noted the way the horse’s belly dropped low and how the muscles around her tail bone were soft.

“Well, lady. Won’t be long now.” Luisa patted her mare again and offered a small bit of carrot from her pocket. “You’ll be able to dump that load and have yourself a brand new baby.” Luisa smiled and made a mental note to keep watch over the pale cream horse. Between her cremello color and Royal Knight’s bright chestnut, Luisa hoped for a dark palomino.

As she left the stall, she turned on a portable fan, hoping to keep the mare as comfortable as possible. Luisa heard a car pull into the yard and glanced at her watch. Barely seven o’clock. Who on earth would come out at this hour? she wondered.

Luisa stuck her head out the barn door, and then broke into a grin when she saw Cindy climbing from behind the steering wheel. She let out a whistle, drawing her friend’s attention, and waved her over to the barn.

“Hey, girl,” Cindy called, as she trotted over. “What’s up?”

“That’s my question. What on earth got you out at this hour?”

“I wanted to see how you were holding up, meet the new filly, and ...” she wiggled her eyebrows, “check out the hunk.”

Luisa laughed, the first really genuine laugh she’d felt since learning of her mother’s health problems. She hooked arms with Cindy and led her toward the barn. “Come on and see the filly.”

“Great. So how are you?”

“I’m doing okay, I guess.” She thought of her mother’s frail body, frowned, and lifted her shoulders in surrender. “I asked her to stay, Cindy, but she won’t.”

Cindy touched Luisa’s arm. “I’m sorry. Your mother is very strong willed. A bit like you,” she said tongue in cheek.

“Uh-huh. Not much we can do about it, I guess.” Luisa shook off the dark mood that threatened, and then led the way down the barn aisle.

Looking over a stall door, she said, “And this is Knight’s Karma.”

Cindy peered over at the red filly, still wobbling a bit on uncoordinated legs. “Wow, she’s a nice one, isn’t she?”

“I think so. She’s got great confirmation, and you should see her trot. In between stumbles, that is.” As the filly reached over the door to playfully nip Luisa’s arm, she frowned. “In fact, she’s a bit too perfect. At least as perfect as a horse can be.”

“What’s wrong with that?” Cindy asked, obviously puzzled.

“You’ll understand when you see her loose. She has a spark. Charisma. That something that will say, ‘Look at me. I’m the best.’ Between that and the way she moves, she’ll be a great prospect for the international competitions. That means she’ll bring a high price. One I can’t really afford to turn down.”

“Oh, that is too bad, if you want to keep her. In the meantime, couldn’t you have fun with her and enjoy training her. Who knows what might happen before it’s time to sell her.” Cindy looked at Luisa. “I assume you’re not going to try to sell her right away?”

“No. I thought I’d let ... everything ... settle down first.”

“Good idea. Now item number three. Where is this gorgeous hunk with the wounded heart in need of mending?”

An instant flash of jealousy rushed through Luisa. She wasn’t sure she wanted to introduce Cindy to Drake.
But how silly is that
, she admonished herself.
He doesn’t belong to me or anyone else
. If he belonged to anyone, that woman was Rebecca.

From the distance, she could hear the muffled pounding of his mallet and knew he was working. What would it be like to feel those hands on me? she wondered for the hundredth time.

“Luisa?”

Cindy touched her arm, and Luisa jolted back to the present. Luisa felt the heat of a blush rush up her throat and across her cheeks. She hoped the heat already there from feeding and caring for the animals would camouflage it. It didn’t.

“Well, well, well. So you
have
been looking.” Cindy gave her a brilliant and hopeful smile. “In that case, it’s hands off. I just want to meet him and see if he’s good enough for my best friend.”

Luisa snorted. “Yeah, right. Oh, come on. I can tell you aren’t going to let this go. He’s working in the shed.”

Together they crossed the yard. Luisa noticed the pounding was more subdued than usual. She wondered if he’d changed material or style. Something was different. She led Cindy around the corner of the shed, and then waited while her friend felt the impact of Drake at work.

Luisa heard an audible swallow and smiled. So Cindy wasn’t immune either. Good. Someone else could feel the heat of this man.

“Drake?”

He swung toward the sound of her voice, a startled expression on his face. “Sorry, I was absorbed.” She saw him glance at where his shirt lay in a heap. He appeared to consider the need to put it on, and then thought better of it.

Luisa knew the fabric would stick to his sweat glistened body and be more suggestive than just staying bare-chested. She couldn’t stop her gaze from sliding over his firm muscles to follow his vee of dark hair into the waistband of his jeans. Forcing her gaze back to his face, she saw his knowing smile and knew she’d been read like a book.
Damn
.

“This is my friend, Cindy. Cindy, Drake.” She looked at Cindy and realized the good doctor had her tongue tangled somewhere in the recesses of her brain.

“Uh, Cindy and I have been friends all our lives.” Still nothing from Cindy. “She’s a psychiatrist.” When the silence continued, Luisa jabbed Cindy in the ribs with her elbow.

“Sorry. I’m pleased to meet you, Drake.” Cindy offered her hand. Drake pulled off his glove and clasped her palm in his. “I see you’re an artist,” she said.

Drake laughed self-consciously. “Some would argue that point. But it beats paying a shrink. No offense.”

“None taken. What is it you’re creating now?”

Luisa looked at what appeared to be her barnyard. “Why that’s
La Puerta de Paraíso
, isn’t it?”

Drake looked uncomfortable, but proud. “Supposed to be. I was going to surprise you.”

His gaze locked with hers and everything else faded away. A jolt of energy traveled between them, and Luisa would have sworn it nearly knocked her off her feet. Heat spread from her toes slowly up her body to settle in her center. She prayed he wouldn’t see it. A sparkle lit Drake’s eyes, and she knew that he had noticed.

Luisa realized Cindy was wandering around the small shed, and shifted her gaze away from Drake to see what her friend was doing. Cindy touched first one piece of sculpture and then another.

“These are interesting pieces,” she said.

Luisa glanced quickly at Drake. She saw his discomfort as Cindy’s hands slid across the first one he’d made, the bombed out building where Conall had died. Compassion filled Luisa, and she sent him a reassuring smile. Silence filled the shed when he failed to comment.

Cindy cleared her throat and the spell broke. “Well, maybe we should go in and fix breakfast for Marie. Will you join us, Drake?”

“Thanks, but no. I’ve got to shower and crash. I’ve been out here all night.”

His gaze remained steady on Luisa, his energy wrapping her in protection and something else--passion, perhaps.

“Luisa, you want me to go in alone or are you ready to go to the house?” Cindy asked.

A soft smile lifted the corners of Luisa’s mouth. “No, I’m ready. Let’s go in. I’ll see you later, Drake.” And somehow, Luisa was sure she would indeed see a lot more of him--hopefully in the near future.

As they walked toward the house, Cindy fanned herself as though she were about to be taken over by heat stroke. “Oh my God, you didn’t tell me he looked like Thor.”

“Thor?” Lost for a moment, she turned a quizzical look on Cindy.

“You know. Norse God of thunder. That man looks about as dangerous as they come, in more ways than one.”

“Why do you think I warned you about him? I told you a smart woman would stay away from him. Too many problems.”
Guess that makes me not too smart
.

“Warned me? Honey, I want to know why you haven’t jumped him yet. Have you lost your mind?”

Luisa laughed and punched Cindy’s arm. “You always were subtle.” As they mounted the porch steps, Luisa sobered. “Besides, there’s always Rebecca standing between us.”

“Are they married?”

Luisa shook her head.

“Engaged?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Then I think you should go after--”

“How can I? He promised his dying friend he’d take care of her and the kids. He can’t ignore that, and I can’t ask him to.”

“He has to know more about you as a person, so he can make a choice. You could encourage him to just get to know you better.”

“Hush now, don’t be giving my mother any more ideas. She is already determined to have me matched up before ... Well, before.”

Cindy pulled Luisa to a stop halfway up the steps. Luisa turned to her, one eyebrow raised. “What?”

“You’ve been pretty content out here, haven’t you?”

“You know I have. I love the ranch, the animals, my work.” She shrugged. “What are you getting at?”

“I just worry about you. You’ve been really happy here. First Drake shows up looking good enough to tackle. Carrying baggage, yes, but seeming to be filled with good qualities, too. Then your mother comes back into your life.”

“And?”

“And your mother is going to be leaving you sooner or later. What happens when Drake goes, too?”

“I have you.”

“I could get hit by a bus.”

“Now that’s an encouraging positive thought.” She smiled. “Cindy, I know you’re trying to help, but I’m not as fragile as you think. I’ve dealt with worse than people leaving before.” She looked through the screened door toward her mother’s room. “I’ve lived without a mother for fifteen years. I can do it again when I have to.”

Cindy sighed. “I know you
can
do it. I just want to be sure you can do it without a broken heart. Two losses in close proximity can be a bit much to deal with.”

Luisa caught Cindy in a bear hug. “Thanks for caring. I don’t know if I would have made it through Mom coming back giving me her news without you.” She held Cindy away. “But I will make it, just fine.”

“We’ll get through this together, then.” Cindy shrugged and abruptly changed the subject. “Let’s eat. I’m starved.” Apparently, she’d decided the time for sentimentality had passed.

Cindy led the way inside as Luisa took one more, quick look over her shoulder. Leaning against the shed wall, absently rubbing a towel across the muscles of his chest to dry off, she could see Drake watching them. Their gazes met and held. She couldn’t look away. Need curled deep in her belly. She’d known Drake only a matter of days, yet she knew they’d be good together given a chance. But would fate give them the chance or would destiny interfere?

Luisa shook her head and turned to follow Cindy inside. Drake’s gaze burned into her back like a laser.

#

Drake rubbed the towel over his arms and face, wiping away the worst of the dust and sweat. His heart thumped heavily in his chest, and his blood pooled right between his legs, creating an uncomfortable fit to his worn jeans. Just looking at Luisa set his body off in a number of ways. Drake shook his head.