my hand?”
He winked. “I figured I’d better get used to showing you some affection. You know, for appearance’s sake.”
She laughed, feeling light enough to fly. “Just for appearance’s sake.” Her head argued that it probably was just as he’d said—for the sake of appearance. However, her thirsty heart was so eager for any amount of affection from him that she couldn’t help but drink up every last drop. She was pathetic, she knew. She’d always had a thing for Lucas. Obviously, not much had changed. The best that she could hope for at this point was that he would take careful care of her heart. Otherwise, she was headed for a big heartache, the likes of which she’d never before seen.
6
The snow was getting worse. It didn’t help that they were on a narrow, winding road. An hour ago, Lucas had taken a detour off the interstate. He glanced over at Magnolia who was sleeping soundly, her blonde tresses trailing like spun gold across the back of the seat where her head was resting. She was a princess in every sense of the word and drop-dead gorgeous, to boot.
Contrary to what he told her that night at his parents’ house, it hadn’t been Jaxson or the incident with the feeder that prompted Lucas to take Magnolia up on her offer. Rather, it had been the things she said that night at the kitchen table, when she hadn’t realized he was listening. The tender wistfulness of Magnolia’s voice had evoked an ache deep inside him, making him remember for one brief moment what it was like to be loved. The way she’d looked at him that night on the porch, her eyes ablaze with hope, he couldn’t help but agree to go along with the ruse. She wanted a knight in shining armor to ride in on a white horse and save her. He’d thought that night that he had it in him to be that guy.
Then, afterwards, in the clear light of day, he had a freak-out moment. He’d called Lexi, telling her that there was no way he could marry someone for money. And have a child together? That was insane! Lexi talked him off the ledge, telling him that Magnolia needed him. “She’s desperate,” Lexi had said. “She’ll marry someone. It’s better for her to be with you. You won’t take advantage of her.”
His gaze drifted over to her heart-shaped face, tracing the delicate outline of her jaw. Her skin was milky and smooth, her dainty lashes fluttering faintly every so often in her sleep. There was something so childlike and naïve about Magnolia. He’d felt her watching him with hopeful eyes. The attraction to her was strong, making it hard to keep her at bay. However, he didn’t want to do anything to confuse the situation.
When Renee walked out the door, he’d plugged the hole in his heart with a stony disinterest. Sure, he dated, but he kept a clear line drawn, refusing to ever be put at the mercy of a woman again. Also, it wouldn’t be fair to Magnolia to misrepresent what this situation was. Lucas did want the ranch, so badly that he could taste it. Now that the idea had taken hold, it flamed like a fire inside him. His desire for the ranch made him feel guilty. He felt like he was taking advantage of Magnolia and the situation. Had her ex-boyfriend not cheated on her, she’d be getting married to him. Lucas didn’t know if he should be thanking the guy or punching his lights out.
His thoughts went to his parents. What would they think when they learned about the wedding? Would his mom be ticked because she didn’t know about it, or would she just be relieved that Lucas was finally settling down?
This morning, seeing his mom so upset had rattled Lucas, taking him back to that dark time when the family was on pins and needles, wondering if his dad would be okay. Lucas hadn’t intended on telling Magnolia about his dad’s gambling problem, but he was glad he did. It felt good to get it off his chest, to confide in someone.
The things Magnolia told him about her family floored him. He’d always thought of Magnolia as an entitled diva, but listening to her talk, he could understand why she acted like she did. For all of his parents’ flaws, he knew that they loved him and Lexi. Their family was close. And, despite his longstanding rivalry with