Marry Me for Real, Cowboy - Valerie Comer Page 0,54
only no one knew except him and Riley and Nathaniel. He opened his mouth, but what could he say? Call off the farce now? When would he ever get the chance to regain control of Running Creek for him and his brothers if he let this opportunity slip away?
He turned to Riley, pouring all his desperate hope into his gaze. “What do you say, honey? Early March?”
Something like sympathy lurked in her eyes. “I’ll get back to you on that, cowboy.”
Chapter Twenty
So near, yet so far.
Riley stared into the swath of light in the darkness caused by the beams from Adam’s truck headlights. If only she could see the way clear in front of her life even this much. She’d been holding it together since Declan’s announcement a couple of hours ago, and she’d do the same at the Christmas Eve service at Creekside Fellowship. But now, during the drive to Jewel Lake, when she could say whatever she wanted without fear of being overheard, she didn’t even know where to start.
Across the cab, Adam’s gloved hands flexed on the steering wheel. The set of his jaw and his unwavering focus had nothing to do with slippery road conditions or the possibility of wildlife. No, she was certain it had everything to do with his stepfather’s words.
When he was still silent as they crossed the last cattleguard before the highway, Riley couldn’t stand it anymore. “What now?”
“I’ve lost.” His voice was flat, devoid of emotion. “Declan will never give me a second chance at Running Creek. I’ll never measure up. Not after this.”
“How can you just give up? Your dad’s ranch is your dream.”
“What, you want to get married then divorced after the papers have been signed? I doubt it. You want out of here next week.”
“Marriage isn’t something to be taken lightly.” Famous last words from someone who’d glibly agreed to take engagement lightly. She’d never dreamed it would come to this, though.
Adam sighed. “I agree. I can’t ask that of you. In this day and age, the whole thing is ridiculous, anyway. Nearly every couple I know is living together. Declan’s not even a Christian. What does he care if we get married?”
“He married your mother.”
“Yeah. Why?”
Riley shook her head. How should she know? Kathryn mostly avoided her husband, but occasionally she proved she had a backbone. Like over getting the family together this afternoon. At first Riley had thought it was because of Toby — Travis would be handing his son over to Dakota at the Christmas Eve service shortly. But now she wondered if Kathryn had orchestrated the whole thing to give Declan a platform for making his announcement to Adam and his brothers.
If it was supposed to be some kind of Christmas or wedding gift, it had fallen very, very flat.
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I’m done with rodeo after Ace. I’ve got some savings, but not enough to buy my own ranch.”
And he’d be ten grand poorer when he paid her off. He still would, even though their ruse had fallen short, wouldn’t he?
He shrugged. “Maybe I can hire on at the Delgados’ ranch over near Saddle Springs. Sawyer’s a good buddy, and his love life is as pathetic as mine.”
That stung. “I thought he was trying to win over the mother of his baby.”
“He is. Or at least, he was. But she left Eaglecrest while he and I were in Texas, and he doesn’t know where she is. Clearly, she wants nothing to do with him.”
“Oh, no. That’s too bad.” Riley’s heart went out to the pregnant woman. She must be so troubled. So confused.
They passed the overlook and began the descent into Jewel Lake. He glanced over at Riley. “How about you? Got any plans?”
The nonchalant way he uttered the words pounded another nail in the coffin of Riley’s dreams. “Nothing for sure.”
“Going back to New Mexico?”
“No.” She wrapped her arms around her middle and watched the businesses at the edge of Jewel Lake roll by. “My parents have a sham of a marriage, too.” Now, why had she confided that?
He responded with a humorless grunt. “Seems to be all the rage in the parental generation. I don’t want that.”
There was an option. A viable option. She bit her tongue. “Me, neither. When I marry, it will be for love. Because I can’t live without him.”
“Not with planning to get a divorce a week later?”
“No.”
He sighed as he turned onto Agate Street along Creekside Park. “Can’t say that I