Second Time Around (23 page)

“You don’t have to,” he soothed, running a hand over her hair. “It will all be over in a few days. Edward’s call to you was a last-ditch effort to cause problems. Franklin is filing the trust fund with the court this morning and notices will be sent to the board members this evening. Edward will have to leave and he knows it.

“Just promise me you won’t do anything rash until you’ve had a chance to calm down and think things over. I love you, Lanie.”

Her bottom lip quivered and she bit down on it before replying. “I guess if I didn’t love you I’d be home packing right now. And I can’t leave until after the trail ride, anyway.” She wiggled off his lap and slid to the ground. “That gives me a few days to make a decision. We better get back before they send the whole ranch out to look for us.”

It wasn’t a promise, but he’d take what he could get at this point. He couldn’t stand to lose her again.

13Chapter Nineteen

Quinn sipped the hot coffee cradled in his hands, his gaze moving over the dark campground, searching for Lanie in the light from the bonfire. She’d been avoiding him since they had returned to the ranch Wednesday.

Not that it had been hard to do, he thought ruefully. He’d wound up on the phone with Franklin most of that afternoon, getting things in order. The man had been euphoric when Quinn offered him the CEO position. But there was no one he trusted more than Franklin. The lawyer knew the business almost as well as he did.

By Thursday morning, everyone had heard about the changes taking place, and he’d been swamped with phone calls from frantic board members. It had taken all his powers of persuasion to soothe them, plus a promise that a board meeting would be convened sometime in the next two weeks.

Now he had to figure out how to convince Lanie he would only be gone a few days.

With the mood she was in, he was afraid to tell her about the board meeting at all. But he’d learned his lesson. Never again would he keep anything from her. Tomorrow was Sunday. As soon as they got back to the ranch and a little privacy, he’d sit her down and explain what was happening.

And then he’d make her go to bed and get some rest. A frown furrowed his brow as he checked the group again. For the first time since they had started on this trail ride, Lanie was nowhere to be seen.

He was really getting worried about her. She’d been like a dynamo, doing enough work for three people, never taking five minutes to rest. And while she laughed and talked to the guests, he’d seen the underlying tension she hid from the others. Dark circles had formed under her eyes and she hadn’t eaten enough to keep a worm going.

Now she’d vanished.

At the bonfire, one of the kids Lanie had hired pulled out a guitar and began to strum a tune. Quinn checked Zack’s location, then stood resolutely. His son was sitting on a log between Sherry and Duncan, ready to join in the singing. That should keep him occupied long enough for Quinn to find Lanie. He had a pretty good idea where she was.

Stopping behind the small bathhouse, he let his eyes adjust to the darkness before moving toward the path leading into the woods. The moon was bright, and that helped guide his way. But even without the moonlight, the sound of gurgling, tumbling water would have led him in the right direction.

The small waterfall nestled in a rocky glade had been one of their favorite spots on the ranch when they were young. There was something almost mystical about the place 13at night. The water seemed to glow with a light of its own, and he wouldn’t have been surprised to see fairies dancing in the clearing.

Instead, he saw Lanie. She was perched on a rock facing the falls, knees drawn up to her chest with her chin resting on them as she stared into the water. Half afraid she’d run, he moved to her side, sitting gingerly.

“It’s still beautiful,” he commented softly.

Lanie didn’t even glance at him, and for a second he wondered if she was aware he’d joined her. When she finally spoke, her voice was low.

“I’ve always thought Zack was conceived here, that last time.” Her chin quivered and a single tear glistened on her cheek. “I’m not pregnant, Quinn. I started about an hour ago.”

She brushed the tear away with the heel of her hand. “I’m such an idiot. A baby is the last thing we need right now. I should be happy I’m not pregnant. But it feels like I’ve lost something special and I can never get it back again.”

“Sweetheart.” Through his own disappointment, he reached for her, pulled her onto his lap. “You aren’t an idiot. I wanted you to be pregnant, too.” Her arms curled tightly around his neck and he could feel her body trembling against his. Instinctively, he rocked her, his hands moving slowly over her back.

“I love you, Angel, and there’s nothing I want more than to have another baby with you. But there’s no rush. It will happen sooner or later.”

“If you’re here.” Her voice was muffled against his shoulder.

“I’ll be here, Lanie. Like I told you before, there will be times I have to go back to Chicago, but it will only be for a few days. I’ll always come home again.”

“Do you promise?”

A sweet ache of joy filled his soul and he smiled. “Not only do I promise, I cross my heart.”

The tension drained from her body, leaving her soft and warm in his arms.

“Okay,” she whispered. “I guess I’ll stay. I didn’t know what I was going to tell Zack, anyway.”

“Is that the only reason you want to stay? Because of Zack?”

She hesitated, then shook her head. “No. I’m tired of fighting my feelings, Quinn. I may be taking a chance, but it’s time I started trusting you.”

He buried his face in her hair, a lump the size of a fist in his throat. Did this mean she was finally ready to call it quits with Harper and make a life with him instead? God, he hoped so. But he didn’t dare ask her. Not right now. He would have to be happy with what she was willing to give.

“I think you’re just tired, period.” He brushed his lips across her temple. “I know you haven’t been eating. Have you been sleeping?”

“Not much. Maybe a few hours a night.”

13“Then it’s time you did. You can’t keep pushing yourself like this, Angel. As soon as we get back to the camp I want you to eat, then go to bed.”

She sighed. “I can’t. I have to take care of the guests, and then there’s Zack. If I don’t put him to bed he’ll stay up half the night.”

“I’ll take care of Zack. As for the guests, let the people you hired do their job. They don’t need you every second.”

“I’m not sure I can sleep. Every time I try, I just lie there with my mind spinning from one thing to another.” She pushed a lose strand of hair away from her face and hesitated. “Will you stay with me tonight? I don’t want to be alone.”

“You know I will. I’ll always be there when you need me.” He stood and lowered her feet to the ground, catching her hand. “Come on. The sooner we get back, the sooner you can get some sleep.”

He led her straight to the chuck wagon. Ollie, the younger of the two brothers who served as cooks for the trail rides, was rummaging through the items on the lowered side of the wagon. He glanced up as they stopped, then smiled, his eyes nearly disappearing into his whiskered cheeks.

“I was hoping you could get her to eat.” He took a covered plate off a shelf. “Saved her supper just in case.”

“Good.” Quinn watched Lanie take the food. “Now make sure she eats it even if you have to sit on her.” The threat wasn’t a mild one, considering Ollie’s size.

Lanie rolled her eyes, but obediently took the cover off the plate and sat down.

Quinn leaned over and brushed her cheek with his lips. “I’ll put Zack to bed while you finish.”

He wound his way through the guests who were singing “Sweet Betsy from Pike”

with more enthusiasm than talent, until he reached Duncan and Sherry. He squatted near the blonde, his voice low when he spoke to her. “I’ve convinced Lanie to get some sleep. Can you handle things without her?”

“Sure.” She glanced at Zack before leaning closer. “I’ve been worried about her.

She’s running on nerves and not much else. If anyone ever needed a vacation, she does.”

“That’s not a bad idea. I’ll see what I can do.” He put his hand on Zack’s shoulder.

“Hey, champ. Ready to hit the sack?”

“Aw, Dad! Do I have to? I want to listen to the music.”

“You can still hear it from bed. Pete and Ollie have the canvas raised on the wagon, so it’ll be just like sleeping outside tonight.”

Zack gave a long-suffering sigh. “Okay. Can I sleep with my clothes on like everyone else?”

Quinn ruffled his hair then picked him up. “If you want. But you have to take your boots off.”

“Where’s Mom?”

13“Eating. Do you want to tell her goodnight?”

“Yes.” Zack put his head on Quinn’s shoulder, his small arms looping around his father’s neck. He was already half-asleep.

Lanie looked up as they stopped, then put her plate aside. It wasn’t empty, but Quinn could tell she’d made some headway on the food.

“I think I’d like to put him to bed, if you don’t mind.” She stood and took Zack from his arms, hugging her son close. “It feels like days since I’ve seen him. Why don’t you get your sleeping bag and put it in my tent?”

He waited until she carried Zack into the back of the wagon, then walked to the truck Cody and Duncan had brought in case of accidents. A small city of pup tents was scattered around the camping area, but last night he’d slept in the open. Lanie’s tent was set up near the wagon so she could hear Zack if he needed her.

Quinn crawled inside with his sleeping bag, then paused, eyeing Lanie’s bag.

Quietly, he zipped the two together to make one larger bed, listening to Lanie’s voice as she murmured to Zack.

“Now remember, if you wake up tonight and need anything, all you have to do is call me. I’ll be right outside.”

There was a pause and then Zack’s hesitant voice. “Mom, are you still scared Dad will leave? You’ve been acting funny.”

“I’m sorry, sweetie. I didn’t mean to worry you. It’s just that sometimes grown-ups can have a lot of different problems. I promise to do better, okay?”

“Do you miss Jared? He hasn’t been over in a long time.”

Quinn sat up straighter, his head tilted as he listened for her answer.

“Jared has been gone all week. That’s why he hasn’t been by to see you. He’ll be home tomorrow.”

“Where did he go?”

“On vacation. Now, it’s time for you to go to sleep. I love you.”

“Love you, too.” His words ended on a yawn.

While Lanie climbed down from the wagon, Quinn mulled over the information he’d heard. He’d wondered why Harper was making himself scarce. He had hoped it was because the man had finally accepted the fact that Lanie would never be his wife.

Now it looked like the last week had only been a brief hiatus from the battle.

Lanie didn’t even blink at the doubled sleeping bag. She merely pulled her boots off and climbed inside. Quinn mimicked her actions, then wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back into the curve of his body. “Comfortable?”

“Yes. Unfortunately, I’m not sleepy.”

“You need to relax. Turn over on your stomach.”

Obligingly, she shifted, laying her head on her crossed arms.

14He pushed her T-shirt up and gently massaged the tight muscles in her back, feeling them loosen as his fingers worked. “Sherry thinks you need a vacation.”

“Sounds heavenly. Some place hot, with sand, water and no horses.”

“The Bahamas?”

“Too crowded. I’d rather go somewhere that wasn’t overrun with people.”

“There’s a place on St. John that fills the bill. Exotic, luxurious, and cabins with private beaches.”

“You’re serious?”

“Of course. We could make it a honeymoon. You didn’t have one the first time.”

“I don’t remember it bothering me,” she said softly. “The lake seemed the perfect place for our wedding night. You turned the radio on in the truck and we danced for hours, barefoot in the grass.”

“And then made love under the stars.”

She sighed. “It was wonderful. I don’t see how an island could have topped it.”

Her voice had grown drowsy and Quinn stopped massaging to gently rub the soft skin on her back. It wasn’t long before her even breathing told him she’d drifted off to sleep.

With a smile, he pulled her shirt down and lay beside her, breathing in her fragrance. Just as soon as he got the board members settled down, he was buying two tickets to St. John. And he would make sure she enjoyed it as much as she had their wedding night.

* * * * *

Bright sunlight woke Lanie, and she lay still a moment trying to figure out what was missing. Quinn. Eyes closed, she stretched a hand out to discover the other side of the sleeping bag was empty. But she knew he’d stayed with her all night. The vague memory of his arms holding her clung even now that she was awake.

A smile curved her lips as she extended her toes and stretched. She felt better than she had in a long time. Rested and free of the tension that had been her constant companion for the last few weeks.

“Hey, sleepyhead. Are you going to stay in bed all day?”

She opened her eyes to find Quinn kneeling at the opening of the tent, a plate in his hands.

“I brought you some breakfast.”

“What time is it?”

“Nine-fifteen or so. You slept almost ten hours.”

She sat up abruptly, searching frantically for her boots. “Why didn’t you wake me up? My group should have started back to the ranch an hour ago!”

14“Don’t panic. Sherry changed the order. Your group will go last. You’ve got plenty of time.”

“Zack?”

Quinn grinned. “He’s watching what’s left of the tourists try to rope cows.”

She laughed and reached for the food. “Are they having any luck?”

“Not a bit.”

“Probably a good thing. I doubt any of them would know what to do with a cow once they dropped a loop on it.”

She made short work of breakfast, then together they packed the tent and sleeping bags in the wagon. By the time the horses were saddled, her group was the only one left. She stood in the stirrups and counted heads to make sure no one was left behind, then headed toward the ranch in a more direct line than they’d taken on the trip out.