Expecting the Rancher's Heir (9 page)

“You're both looking very nice tonight,” Trevor said, walking up to them. Lissa's brother had a pretty, young brunette clinging to his arm.

“Good to see you again,” Shane said, shaking Trevor's hand.

After a few minutes of exchanging small talk, Trevor and his date moved on. “I wish he would settle down a bit,” Lissa said quietly. “I've seen Elmer and Clara watching him, and they don't look all that pleased.”

Putting his arm around her bare shoulders, Shane kissed her temple. “I agree that your brother is known to play it pretty fast and loose with the ladies, but it's really none of Elmer's or Clara's business what he does or how he chooses to conduct his life.”

Before Lissa could respond, several of the regular resort guests came over to greet them and pay their compliments to Lissa's family on another spectacular event.

“The food in past years has been very good, but the cuisine this year is outstanding,” George Sanders, a food critic from Los Angeles, said enthusiastically. “As soon as I find him, I intend to let Guy know the resort's pursuit of culinary excellence will be the focus of my next column. The crème brûlée is to die for.”

“I'm sure Guy will be very pleased to hear that,” Lissa said, smiling.

Once the portly gentleman stopped gushing about the food and moved on, Shane placed his hand on Lissa's back. “Why don't we find our table and see who our dinner partners are?”

He could use a reprieve and he was sure Lissa felt the same way. Besides, hearing himself repeat the same greeting at least twenty times, his face felt as if it had frozen in a permanent grin.

When they found their table close to the main table at the front of the room, Shane held Lissa's chair, then settled himself onto the one beside her. “It looks like
we're hosting the politicians,” he said, glancing at the place cards on the elegantly set table.

She nodded. “I just hope they put their political differences on hold for the evening.”

“I'll see what I can do about that,” Shane offered. “I happen to know that Senator Kurk and Representative Delacorte are both into fly-fishing. If it looks like the conversation is going to turn into a debate, I'll invite them both to go fishing next spring on the Rainbow.”

“Thank you,” she said, looking grateful. “I would really like for the evening to remain free of controversy.”

“Shane, my boy, I hoped I would see you here this evening,” Senator Kurk said, approaching their table. “I think you know my wife, Beatrice?”

Shane stood up while the older woman sat down. “It's nice seeing you again, Mrs. Kurk,” he said nodding. He shook the senator's hand, then sat back down. “I'm glad you could join us.”

“The way I hear it, congratulations are in order. A little bird told me you're planning on taking a trip down the aisle,” the man said, smiling at Lissa. “Is this lovely girl your bride-to-be?”

“Senator Kurk, Mrs. Kurk, I would like for you to meet my fiancée, Melissa Jarrod,” Shane introduced them.

“Melissa?” Beatrice Kurk exclaimed, disbelievingly. “I didn't recognize you, dear. You're all grown
up. I think the last time we saw you, you were getting ready to leave for college.”

As Lissa and the senator's wife exchanged pleasantries and caught up, Representative Delacorte and his wife arrived. Dinner was served shortly afterward and to Shane's immense relief, the two politicians seemed to have put their opposing political views aside for the evening.

While the women asked Lissa about new services at the spa and plans for their upcoming wedding, Shane found himself enjoying the men's stories of fishing for trout in the various rivers and streams in the Rocky Mountains. He was even surprised to learn the men were pretty good friends when they weren't at loggerheads over political issues.

As they waited for dessert to be served, the two men and their wives politely excused themselves. Shane knew they were going to work the room and try to secure votes for the upcoming elections before the event's closing speeches began.

Relieved to once again be alone with her, Shane turned to Lissa. But her attention was trained on her brother Trevor seated at the head table with her other siblings and their respective dinner companions.

“I can't believe what he's doing,” she said, shaking her head. Seated beside a shapely redhead, the brunette that had been clinging to Trevor earlier was nowhere in sight. “I can only imagine what Elmer and Clara are thinking right now.”

Watching his future brother-in-law whisper some
thing to the redhead, then while her head was turned, wink at a blonde seated a few tables to the left of the head table, Shane had to admit the man was asking for a boatload of trouble. He saw nothing wrong with a single man playing the field. Hell, he'd had his own share of women before he met Lissa. But Shane had at least had the good sense to limit himself to being with one woman a night.

If Trevor wasn't careful, he was going to set himself up to be right in the middle of a class-A catfight. And once the women figured out he'd been playing all of them, they would stop blaming each other and turn on him with claws bared.

“Shane, could I speak with you in private for a moment?” Senator Kurk asked, standing at Shane's shoulder. Engrossed in the show at the head table, he hadn't seen the man approach.

“Of course,” Shane answered, somewhat puzzled by the senator's serious demeanor. Rising from the table, he kissed Lissa's cheek. “I'll only be a few minutes.”

He hated leaving her alone, but relieved to see Avery Lancaster heading toward their table, Shane turned his full attention to the man walking beside him. He had never seen Patrick Kurk look as serious or as determined as he did at that moment.

 

When Avery sat down in the chair next to her, Melissa couldn't help noticing the scene playing out just beyond her friend's shoulder. Her brothers Guy
and Gavin had walked up behind Trevor at the head table. One of them spoke to him, then all three men left the room.

“What's going on?” she asked, turning to her friend.

“Guy and Gavin are going to strongly suggest that Trevor use a little more discretion with the female guests here tonight,” Avery answered quietly.

“I'm glad,” Melissa said, meaning it. “He's not doing the resort's reputation any favors.”

“You mean ‘come to Jarrod Ridge and get your heart broken by one of its handsome owners' isn't going to be the resort's new slogan?” Avery asked sardonically.

Melissa loved Avery's quick wit. “I somehow doubt that would help business,” she said, laughing.

“Where's Shane?” Avery asked, looking around.

“Senator Kurk wanted to speak to him in private about something.” Unconcerned, Melissa took a sip of her water. “He's probably hitting Shane up for a campaign donation or wants him to volunteer to hold some kind of fundraiser.”

Avery nodded. “It's not enough that politicians want our vote, they also want our money.”

“Are Guy and Gavin having their talk with Trevor?” Erica asked as she joined them.

Melissa smiled at her sister. “I'd say it's hitting the fan, even as we speak.”

Erica winced. “I'd hate to be in poor Trevor's shoes right now.”

“Me, too,” Melissa and Avery both spoke at the same time.

“I'm glad I have you two together,” Melissa said, deciding it was time for a change of subject. Even though Trevor deserved getting the warning about his notorious behavior, she took no pleasure in it having to be done. “One of the guests at the spa left a magazine in the reception area and it had pictures of a nursery decorated with an ‘under the sea' theme,” she explained. “I really liked it and I think that's what I want to use for the nursery. It incorporated all of the pastel colors and had the cutest baby sea creatures.”

“I looked at that just the other day,” Avery said, nodding. “It's adorable.”

Melissa briefly wondered why Avery had been looking at nursery themes, but dismissed the thought. Her friend had probably been looking for ideas to use for the baby shower.

“I love the little pink sea horse and blue octopus,” Melissa added, knowing she had settled on the theme she wanted for the nursery.

“It would be perfect for a boy or girl, too,” Erica agreed enthusiastically. “And we can use all of the colors when we decorate for the shower.”

Melissa hugged both women. “You two are the best. Thank you for planning this baby shower for me.”

“Uh-oh. It looks like I'm going to have to go soothe the savage beast,” Avery said suddenly, pointing toward Guy as he walked back into the ballroom.
“He doesn't look as if the encounter with Trevor was pleasant.”

“I doubt that it was,” Melissa said, hating that her family had to deal with yet another conflict.

“I'm afraid I need to get back to Christian,” Erica apologized, rising to her feet. “I see he's been cornered by someone, no doubt looking for free legal advice.”

As she watched her two best friends walk back to their fiancés, Melissa wondered where Shane was. She checked her watch. He had told her he would only be a few minutes and that had been a half hour ago.

Deciding he would probably be back soon, she left the table to freshen up before the closing speech began. As she started down the hall toward the ladies' powder room, she couldn't help but recognize Shane's voice coming from just around the corner.

“I'm flattered that you asked me to help with the investigation, Senator,” Shane said. Melissa started to join him and the senator, but his next words stopped her in her tracks. “I have a couple of stables to design, but after I send the blueprints to the contractors, I'll have all the time in the world to devote to the investigation.”

“There could be times when you'll have to do some frequent traveling,” Senator Kurk warned.

There wasn't even so much as a moment's hesitation before Shane answered the man. “That won't
be a problem. There's nothing keeping me from spending all the time needed on the job sites and giving them my undivided attention.”

Lissa couldn't stand to hear any more. She and their child were nothing? Hadn't he listened to what she'd told him just the night before?

Feeling as if her heart had shattered into a million pieces, she turned and walked straight to the resort's lobby. Shane was no different than her father had been. He intended to put work ahead of his family, and that was something she just couldn't accept.

At the front desk, she asked for a piece of the resort's letterhead and an envelope. When she finished scribbling the note, she sealed it in the envelope and handed it to one of the clerks working the reservations desk.

“I want this delivered to Erica Prentice at the head table in the Grand Ballroom,” she said, surprised that her voice sounded so steady. “Take it now before the closing speech starts.”

“Yes, Ms. Jarrod,” the young woman behind the counter said. “I'll take it to her right away.”

As the woman hurried down the corridor leading to the ballroom, Melissa thought about walking to the lodge, but decided against it. She had left her light wrap at the table and the temperature outside had already dropped considerably. Besides, she didn't relish the idea of walking that distance in three-inch heels.

She turned to the concierge. “I want someone to drive me to Willow Lodge.”

The man nodded. “It may take a few minutes to—”

“Now!” If she didn't get back to the lodge soon, there was a very real danger of her falling apart right there in the middle of the lobby.

Never having heard her bark orders at anyone, the man moved faster than she had ever seen him and in no time Melissa found herself seated in the back of one of the resort's courtesy limousines. She forced herself to remain stoic on the short ride up the road to Willow Lodge. She knew that she had already caused enough gossip and speculation among the employees with her outburst at the concierge. She didn't want to add more by dissolving into a sobbing heap in the back of the limo.

When the driver stopped in front of the lodge, she got out and hurriedly let herself inside. Only after she had closed and locked the door did she give in to the emotions that she had held in check since overhearing Shane and Senator Kurk.

First one tear and then another slipped down her cheeks and Melissa rushed into the bedroom to collapse on the bed. As she stared at the diamond ring on her left hand the loneliness of a lifetime came crashing down on top of her. She had never been able to live up to her father's expectations and it appeared that she wasn't enough for Shane now.

W
hen Shane and the senator returned to the ballroom the closing speech had just begun and all eyes were focused on Blake Jarrod, Lissa's brother, the new CEO of Jarrod Ridge. As he thanked the guests and investors, Shane looked around for Lissa.

Where the hell had she gone? Had she become ill and had to leave? If so, why hadn't she found him to take her back to Willow Lodge?

As he scanned the crowd to see if she might be sitting at another table, he glanced at the head table. Lissa's sister, Erica, was staring at him and he could tell from her expression that she knew something about where Lissa might be.

Frustrated by the fact that he couldn't get to
Erica to ask where Lissa had gone until after Blake concluded his speech, Shane barely heard his name being called when the investors were asked to stand and be recognized. By the time Blake gave his closing remarks, Shane was already on his feet and threading his way through the crowd to the head table.

“Where did Lissa go?” he demanded when he reached Erica.

“Just before Blake's speech she sent me a message that she was having someone take her back to Willow Lodge,” Erica said, looking worried. “Do you think she's not feeling well?”

“I don't know, but I'm sure as hell going to find out,” he said, already turning toward the door. “Thanks.”

“Please let me know if she's all right,” Erica called after him.

Nodding that he would, Shane impatiently made his way through the crush of people leaving the ballroom. Was there something wrong with her or the baby?

As all of the things that could go wrong during the first trimester ran through his mind, he quickly decided that he'd done a little too much research about pregnancy. Apparently, ignorance really was bliss. It had to be better than the hell his imagination was putting him through now.

It seemed as if it took an eternity to make his way across the crowded lobby and out the resort's main doors. Unwilling to wait for the valet to bring his
truck around, Shane broke into a run as he headed for the lane leading up to the private lodges.

Why had Lissa sent her sister the message saying she was leaving instead of him? What had happened between the time he and the senator stepped out into the corridor and the time they reentered the ballroom?

As he sprinted up the steps and across the deck of Willow Lodge, he fished for the key Lissa had given him from his pocket. His fingers felt clumsy as he rushed to unlock the door and let himself in.

“Lissa?” he called when he finally opened the door.

The silence was deafening. He glanced around the room. Her handbag was lying on the couch as if she'd tossed it aside so he knew she was there.

“Lissa, where are you?” he called, his heart thumping against his ribs as his fear increased. When he found her in the bedroom, she was lying on the bed, sobbing uncontrollably. “Lissa, angel, what's wrong?”

Before he could sit on the side of the bed and take her into his arms, she raised her face from the pillow she clutched. “D-don't, Shane.” Shaking her head, she scooted to the opposite side of the mattress. “P-please just…go home.”

What had gotten into her? When he left the table at the dinner, she had been fine.

“What's wrong?” he demanded.

“I want you…to leave,” she sobbed. “Just go…back to your ranch…and leave me alone.”

“Angel, you're not making sense,” he said, trying to maintain a patient tone. “Calm down and tell me what happened to make you so upset.”

Pushing herself to a sitting position, she swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, then shook her head. “I overheard you and Senator Kurk.”

“And?” He couldn't think of a single thing they had discussed that would send her into such an emotional meltdown.

“There's nothing to keep you from traveling extensively?” She shook her head. “What about me? What about our baby? Are we always going to come in a distant second to whatever project you're working on? Aren't we important enough to you that you want to be with us?”

“Calm down, Lissa.”

“Don't tell me what to do, Shane. All my life I've come in last place behind a man's work and I won't do it again.” Her eyes flashed with a mixture of hurt and anger. “Answer my question. Do you or do you not want to be here with me to make a marriage between us work?”

He had told the senator he was free to travel and devote his time to investigating design flaws in several federal and military buildings. But he couldn't tell her the reason he'd agreed, because he didn't like admitting—even to himself—that he needed distance to regain his perspective.

When he remained silent, Lissa's crushed expression caused his gut to twist into a painful knot. “I think your silence is answer enough, Shane.” Removing the engagement ring he had given her, she reached across the bed to place it in his hand. “I'm just glad we discovered that it wouldn't work out between us before we actually got married.”

“Lissa—”

“Don't, Shane,” she said, sounding completely defeated. “There's really nothing left to say.”

Staring at her for several long moments as he tried to put his tangled thoughts into some semblance of order, he shook his head. “This isn't over, Lissa.”

Silent tears slid down her smooth cheeks. “Yes, it is, Shane.”

He could tell from the look on her face she wouldn't listen to anything he had to say, even if he had been able to explain himself. “What about the investors and your family? What are you going to tell them?”

“That's really no longer any of your concern,” she said flatly. “I'll handle whatever announcement I need to make regarding our breakup.”

Suddenly angry, he asked, “What about the baby? I want to know—”

“From now on, anything you have to say to me can be done through Christian Hanford. Closer to the baby's birth, I'll have him contact your attorney to work out a custody agreement.” She took a deep breath and pointed toward the door. “I'd really like
to be alone now, Shane. Please lock the door as you leave.”

He stared at her for a moment longer before turning to walk out of the bedroom. Placing the door key she'd given him on the kitchen counter, he let himself out of the house and descended the porch steps.

As he slowly walked down the lane toward the resort's main building, the engagement ring he still held felt as if it burned a hole in his palm. When he'd given it to her, he could tell it meant the world to her and he'd suspected then that she'd fallen in love with him.

He knew now that his instincts had been right on the mark. Lissa did love him and he could tell that it had broken her heart when she'd taken off the ring and handed it back to him only minutes ago.

His anger escalated, but it wasn't directed at anyone but himself. What the hell was wrong with him? How had he let things get so out of control?

He'd known for the past couple of weeks that he was walking a fine line, and keeping his feelings for Lissa in check was going to take monumental effort on his part. That's why he'd eagerly agreed to accept Senator Kurk's offer. He'd suddenly needed the distance between them to pull back before he found himself in far deeper than he'd ever intended to go.

But was it already too late? Had he done the unthinkable and fallen in love with her?

Shaking his head, Shane wasn't sure. And until he
got it all figured out, it would be best to leave things as they were between them. He'd already hurt her terribly. He'd rather give up his own life than do it again.

 

Standing on the deck at Willow Lodge, Melissa stared at the mountains beyond. How could her life have changed so dramatically, yet everything around her stayed the same? She had never experienced such emotional pain, never felt so alone as she did at that moment, yet the birds still sang and the sun still shone on the golden aspens whispering in the crisp mountain breeze.

Why had she deluded herself into thinking that Shane would be as committed to making their marriage work as she intended to be? How was it possible that she had missed seeing he was as driven by ambition and work as her father had been?

Shane had told her he would be faithful, and she had no doubt he'd meant what he said. But fidelity was one thing. Spending the time together that a couple needed to make a marriage work was something else entirely.

She had been willing to give up the life she'd built for herself in Malibu to remain in Colorado so that they could be a family. Was it too much to ask that he make a few concessions, as well?

The night he'd given her the engagement ring, he'd told her that his career required only occasional travel. But at the first opportunity that had come along for
him to spend more time away from her and their child, he hadn't been able to agree fast enough.

All her life she'd come in a distant second to her father's ambition to make Jarrod Ridge the number-one resort in the Rockies. She refused to settle for second place with her husband.

“Melissa, is everything okay?” Turning at the sound of her sister's voice, Melissa watched Erica climb the steps and walk across the deck toward her. “You left the dinner so suddenly yesterday evening, I was afraid you might not be feeling well. Are you all right?”

“No, and I'm not sure I ever will be again,” she said honestly. “But I'll survive. I always do.”

“What's wrong?” Erica asked, clearly alarmed. “Are you feeling ill? It isn't anything with the baby, is it?”

Melissa shook her head. “As far as I know the baby is fine.”

Erica looked around. “Where's Shane?”

“I don't know. Probably at his ranch.” Since learning she had a half sister and welcoming Erica to the family, the two of them had grown fairly close and Melissa did need to talk to someone. “I broke off our engagement last night.”

“Oh, no!” Erica immediately wrapped her arms around Melissa. “I'm so sorry. You both seemed so happy.”

Melissa shrugged one shoulder. “It's probably
better that it happened now instead of after we got married.”

“That's true,” Erica agreed. “But it's still so sad.” When the breeze picked up, she suggested, “Why don't we go inside and I'll make us both a cup of herbal tea?”

A few minutes later Melissa sat at the table, staring at the steam rising from the mug Erica had placed in front of her.

“Are you sure the two of you can't work things out?” Erica asked quietly.

“I don't see how.” Over the course of the longest, loneliest night of her life, she had asked herself a thousand times if she'd made the right decision. Each time the answer had been that she had. “We both saw our relationship differently and I'm not sure that could ever change.”

They were silent for several minutes before Erica asked, “Is there anything I can do?”

Melissa nodded. “You can be there for me when I let the rest of the family know the marriage is off.”

“You know that Avery and I will both be there to support you no matter what,” her sister said without hesitation. “For that matter, I can't imagine any of our brothers being anything but supportive.”

“I hope so.” Erica hadn't grown up in the same house with their father and therefore had no way of knowing how much emphasis had been placed on appearances and the family's reputation. “I've decided that I'll be going back to California soon.

I can have the baby out there without causing any disruption with the investors.”

“Melissa, you can't do that. You'll lose your share of the resort.” Erica shook her head. “No one wants to see that happen.”

“If I don't, we could lose a considerable amount of funding for highly successful events like the Food and Wine Gala.” She rubbed the tension building at her temples. “We've probably already lost one of our biggest investors.”

Erica frowned. “Who's that?”

Melissa gave her sister a sad smile. “Shane.”

“Do you really think he'll stop funding special promotions because the two of you are no longer involved?” Erica looked doubtful. “I'm sure he's made a lot of money from helping fund Jarrod Ridge projects. I wouldn't think he'd want to give that up.”

“I don't know. It could be a bit uncomfortable for both of us.” She took a sip of her tea. “But aside from Shane pulling out of upcoming projects, some of the others aren't going to look kindly on me being pregnant and single.”

Erica touched Melissa's hand. “I think you're giving those people too much power over you. It's none of their concern what you do in your personal life.”

“Shane said virtually the same thing,” she admitted.

Maybe she was giving too much credence to what others thought of her family. But it was hard to cast
aside a lifetime of instruction on the importance of others' opinions of her. For as long as she could remember her father had lectured his children on how their actions directly affected the resort and how important it was to protect Jarrod Ridge's reputation above all else.

“The main thing is you don't have to make a decision about any of this right away,” Erica said, rising to place her cup in the sink. “You have plenty of time to weigh your options, then you can decide what
you
want to do.”

After Erica left, Melissa sat at the table contemplating their conversation. In this day and age, many women chose to be single mothers and no one thought anything about it. So why was she afraid of what two busybodies had to say about her? And why was she willing to lose her inheritance because of it?

She wasn't. The only opinions that really mattered were those of her family. They loved each other and since their father's death the bonds between them were strengthening. Maybe her brothers would stand behind her and her decisions if she stayed in Aspen.

Sitting up straight, she came to a decision. She didn't care anymore what people like Elmer Madison and Clara Buchanan had to say about her becoming a single mother. They weren't living her life. She was.