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  “The will already states that in the event of your death before marriage, the estate is ours. Upon marriage, you’re required to have your spouse to sign a prenuptial agreement. Should he refuse to do so and you persist in the marriage, then again, you will lose everything and we will be the heirs, as we should have been in the first place.”

  “Yes, I tend to agree with you. But then I never would have known about the Douglas Ranch and I never would have met you and your brothers.”

  “What you’ve never had, you wouldn’t miss.”

  “True. I guess I won’t need to draw up a will.”

  “Topaz, you know very well that my brothers and I are going to fight it as soon as the holidays are behind us.”

  “Daddy John did this for a purpose, but I can’t imagine what his reasons could have been.” She studied him for a moment. His finely chiseled features, those beautiful sensitive lips, his strong chin and she couldn’t see his eyes because his gaze was fixated on the road, but she imagined them, black, hard at times, but when softened, she could melt under that gaze. She imagined its depths unfathomable right now because of the conversation.

  “I’m starting to have an idea where his mind was when he made up the new will.”

  “Really? Care to share?”

  “No. Okay, we’re here. I’ll meet you at the front mall entrance in two hours. Does that give you enough time?”

  She’d already undone the seatbelt when he parked, but he quickly walked around the car, opened the door for her and held out his hand. She placed her hand in his and stepped onto the pavement. Her hand disappeared in his and for moments, he held it and gazed into her eyes. What do I see in those liquid black pools? Not the hardness that was there before, but she still couldn’t read him. The warmth of his hand sent sharp lightning up her arm, tremors through her stomach.

  “Maybe I should go with you,” he said while letting go of her hand. “You may say you’re fine, but that was quite a wallop I dealt you.”

  “I’ll be fine. If I feel dizzy or anything, I’ll sit down. I’ll see you later,” she said and started to walk away. Her hand still tingled from his touch and her stomach swam but not because of her head.

  “Wait, I forgot you don’t have access to the bank accounts yet. Terry said he’d look after all that after the holidays. My brothers and I have our own accounts. I need to give you money.”

  “I have my own money, but thank you.”

  He still seemed unsure whether to leave her on her own. “Well, I guess I’ll leave you to do your own thing,” he said and entered a men’s store.

  It was tough trying to figure out gifts for Chad, Sam and Johnny. Corky and Tiffy weren’t difficult to buy for and Corky had told her earlier she’d already bought for the rest of the staff and their families, as she does every year. What does one buy for three men who seemingly have everything?

  When she walked past a jewelry store, she saw a beautiful gold compass displayed in a showcase. For Chad, was her immediate thought, so he can find his way to my heart. She couldn’t believe she thought that, yet the gift seemed perfect and yes, deep down she wanted to win Chad’s heart. For Johnny she bought a gold statue of a horse with a clock on its flank and for Sam a gold ashtray with a small statue of a horse and foal perched on its edge. She’d caught him smoking a cigar the day before. Just those three gifts cost a small fortune, but money didn’t matter anymore so she didn’t flinch at digging into her hard-earned savings. She, also, bought a lovely gold chain and cross for Corky and a bracelet for Tiffy while she waited for the engravings she’d asked for.

  It was too late to send any gifts to her friends back home, but she told herself she’d do it after Christmas. As she wandered through the mall, she ended up buying quite a few more gifts for everyone. It was a wonderful feeling to be able to spend money without worrying about the cost of an item or having to look for on-sale items. Lastly, she bought some makeup, a pair of high-heeled dress shoes, perfume and then went hunting for an evening gown. The dress she bought was plain and simple, a long, black, slinky affair with a knee-high slit up the side. Quite satisfied with her purchases, she headed for the exit.

  When she left the mall, she found Chad already waiting for her. Glancing at her watch, she saw that there were still twenty minutes left of the two hours. “You’re early. I hope you haven’t been waiting long.”

  “Yes, I finished what I had to do quite fast. Did you find everything you needed?”

  “I did and I’m famished.”

  “That’s a good sign. Give me those bags. I’ll go put them in the truck and we’ll get a bite to eat before we head home.”

  Topaz was surprised, no quite astounded at the change in his attitude and wondered what had brought it about. Guilt about whacking me on the head? She knew he was still determined to go into full battle for the estate, but for some reason, he had softened toward her quite a bit. That lump of stone in his chest was crumbling little by little. Does he finally realize that none of this is my fault? That I didn’t influence Daddy John in any way, shape or form?

  “Penny for your thoughts.”

  He startled her. “You don’t want to know.”

  “That bad, huh?”

  His hand on her elbow as he steered her back into the mall burnt a hole through her sweater she was sure. Once inside, she almost got run down by a woman with a fully laden shopping cart, the groceries piled so high, the woman had to keep her eyes on the mountain to make sure none of her precious cargo fell off. Chad grabbed her by the shoulders and yanked her out of its way. Throwing the woman an angry look, his arm stayed around her as they continued on. It was as if they were a couple. Almost. First his hand. Now his arm. He was reducing her to a quivering heap of pudding. Get a hold of yourself, girl, she thought. Enjoy it while it lasts. His anger isn’t gone yet, it’s still simmering deep inside him.

  The small bistro he led her to was cozy. It reminded her of photos she’d seen of small French restaurants in Paris. Once they were seated, he picked up the menu.

  “What would you like? I can recommend their Blanket of Veal. It’s one of my favorites.”

  “I’ll have that. Sounds good.”

  He wasn’t kidding when he told her it was delicious. It resembled a stew except for the mashed potatoes served on the side.

  “You’re a good eater for such a slim woman. I’m used to seeing women pick at their food, always scared to put on an extra pound.”

  She laughed. “Maybe when I’m going through my mid-life crisis, I’ll start watching what I eat. Who knows? My mother stayed slim till the day she died.”

  “Do you take after your mother?”

  “Yes, mostly. Her skin was a bit darker than mine.”

  “So she was as beautiful as her daughter.”

  He thought she was beautiful. Her heart thudded so hard she was sure he could hear it.

  “No wonder my father fell in love with her then.”

  Now what did that mean? Is Chad falling in love with me? Is he developing feelings for me? She found that hard to imagine. Last night he still hated her with a passion. Or did he? Isn’t love akin to hate?

  “He really did love her, Chad. I just wish—”

  “They’d found a way to be together all these years instead of living separated. I knew what you were going to say.”

  “I would have given anything to have a normal family life. Brothers and sisters.”

  “Then we would have grown up together and it wouldn’t be the same.”

  “The same as what?”

  He didn’t answer her, but his gaze probed hers as if to figure out her feelings, her thoughts. If he knew what I feel for him, for his brothers, how would he react? Right now she was so hot for him, she could hardly think straight anymore. Her crotch ached with longing. Her body was on fire. But besides the intense heat he caused within her, he had touched her soul.

  “I still haven’t come to terms with my ex coming to the party,” he suddenly said, changing the subj
ect.

  “Huh? Oh, Rachel. There’ll be a lot of people. Surely, you can avoid her? And maybe she won’t even come.”

  “Rachel not come to the famous Douglas Christmas Eve bash? She’ll be there. And you’re right. I’ll just stay out of her path.”

  “Good. I hope this will be a Christmas I’ll never forget,” Topaz said and felt heat rise to her face.

  “You blush deliciously. I’ve never seen a woman who could look so beautiful without any makeup.”

  “Thank you.” Her cheeks were on fire now.

  “I think it’s time we head home,” he said. After he paid and they left the bistro, he took her hand in his while they walked to the exit.

  “I’ve had a lovely afternoon, Chad. Thank you.”

  “It was nice. It’s the first time I’ve been out since—”

  He stopped. She didn’t know what he meant, since his father died or since Rachel broke up with him. But it didn’t matter. All that mattered at that moment was that he had changed toward her and he’d enjoyed himself as well.

  Chapter Seven

  For the staff and ranch hands’ party, she’d worn just jeans and a dressy sweater. Topaz had watched carefully as she saw the families heading toward the barn to see what they were wearing. Nearly all were dressed casual. It was busy. Poor Corky had her hands full and wouldn’t hear of Topaz pitching in when she offered.

  “Mizz Topaz, it’s unheard of. You’re the lady of the house now. Just enjoy it. Mingle with the people and get to know them a little,” she’d said.

  And now it was time to get ready for the evening’s big party. After she’d showered and dried her hair, Topaz sat in front of the big dressing table. She wished she’d brought some of her mother’s jewelry along now to accent the black dress. Is it stylish enough? Her hair was too silky and soft to pin up so she decided to let it hang loose. After putting on some eye makeup and lipstick, she looked at her reflection. “There, that’ll do,” she told it and grimaced. The makeup was subtle, but it sure accented her eyes and her lips. “Now to put on the shoes and the dress.” She pulled it over her head, the soft satin gliding down easily. The shoes were next. It had been eons since she’d worn such high heels and she felt uncomfortable walking in them. When she inspected herself in the mirror, she decided she could compete with any of the rich, young women who would be there that evening. With Rachel. Vaguely, she wondered what Rachel looked like. Maybe the dress was too slinky, too sexy. She had no choice but to wear it now. She had nothing else. Unless…

  Quickly, she walked to one of the wardrobes and opened its doors. Fingering through the gowns, she halted at a pastel green dress. After taking it out, she took the plastic off and gasped. The dress was gorgeous, stunning. It looked like a dress from a movie, from Gone with the Wind. Do I dare wear it? Do the Douglas men even know about this dress? Remember it at all?

  She slipped out of the slinky black affair and put on the green dress. The zipper at the back was a struggle. She’d need someone to do up the rest for her. The skirt was very full and had several flounces at the bottom. The neckline ran even with the wide flounces that surrounded it and was off the shoulders. She gasped when she inspected herself this time. It was as if the dress had been made especially for her. The full skirt accented her small waist. Just a hint of cleavage showed above the neckline. Yes. She would definitely wear it instead of the black. The black shoes didn’t matter all that much as the skirt almost touched the ground. White shoes would have been better though. She rang the bell for a servant and Tiffy soon came.

  “Yes, Mizz Topaz? Oooooh, you look so beautiful!”

  “Thank you, Tiffy. Can you zip me up properly? I can’t reach.”

  “Mizz Topaz, you’ll be a star tonight, I swear.”

  “Have any of the guests arrived yet? I’m afraid I’m a bit late.”

  “Yes, Mizz. They started arriving about half an hour ago. Mizz Rachel is already here with her new man, but she’s flirting up a storm with all the other single men, including Master Sam and Master Johnny.”

  “Darn. I tried to hurry, but the staff party finished late, and”

  “Doesn’t matter, Mizz. You’ll make a grand entrance, you will.”

  “And that’s just not what I wanted,” Topaz said with a sigh. Brushing her hair once more, she was ready to go downstairs.

  Holding the skirt up so she wouldn’t trip, she walked carefully down the wide stairs. The doors to the ballroom stood wide open and it already teemed with chattering guests. When she was three-quarters of the way down, a hush suddenly fell over the crowd. Topaz heard nothing but a few very low whispers and all eyes gazed up at her. She felt decidedly uncomfortable and suddenly very shy. She scanned the guests for familiar faces, the Douglas men, and saw Chad gazing at her. He was surrounded by women. His face wore the usual granite mask, but his eyes were warm and admiring as his gaze rested upon her. Johnny came to her rescue.

  “Topaz, you look absolutely stunning!”

  “Thank you, Johnny.” She took the proffered arm and walked to the entrance with him. “Are there more guests to arrive?”

  “Yes, there are. Sam has been greeting them, but now you can do your duty as hostess. Chad has gone inside. He’s mingling with the guests. Keep a dance for me?” Johnny asked as she stood next to Sam and he started to walk away.

  “I will. Hi, Sam, you look very handsome,” she complimented him. And he did. Like Johnny, he wore black dress pants and a white dinner jacket and a white dress shirt with black bow tie. His hair was neatly brushed into place. If she’d thought the Douglas men were handsome, right now they could step straight off the cover of a magazine.

  “And you look more beautiful than I ever could have imagined. If I thought you beautiful before, I lied. You’re gorgeous, Topaz.” He pulled her arm through his and they waited for the guests to enter.

  As they filed in, one couple after another, some accompanied by their older children, Sam introduced her. Most of them eyed her with blatant curiosity. Some of the younger women with smirks and some showed evident envy.

  A couple approached them from the ballroom. The man was mid-height, rather homely. The woman hanging on his arm wore a very tight white dress with a scooped neckline that showed most of her ample breasts. Topaz swore she could see a hint of aureole above the neckline on both sides. A diamond, or at least it looked like a diamond, necklace graced her neck and rested just above the woman’s cleavage, obviously intended to draw eyes to that part of her anatomy. Long diamond earrings dangled from her ears. The platinum blonde hair was pinned up. Icy cold light blue eyes rested on Topaz and took in her appearance.

  “Ah, so this is the thief!”

  “Rachel, that will do,” Sam said.

  So this was Chad’s ex. The woman resembled a mannequin, a painted doll. “Hello, Rachel,” Topaz said lamely. “Nice to meet you.”

  “You won’t get away with it, you know.”

  “Get away with what?”

  “Harry, go get me some punch.” When her partner left, she continued. “Claiming the ranch for your own.”

  “Rachel, this is neither the time nor the place for such talk. Anyway, it’s none of your business anymore.” Sam spoke in a soft clipped tone. “Come, Topaz. They’ll be announcing dinner soon.”

  She’d never been so glad and thankful in her life to have a strong supporting arm. Avoiding that icy stare that was filled with utter hatred, she let Sam guide her into the ballroom.

  It wasn’t long before what Corky had predicted happened. She was surrounded by eager, young bachelors. They chatted her up, complimented her so much that it almost made her feel uncomfortable and all asked to dance with her later. When a bell rang and Chad made the announcement dinner was ready, she was grateful to escape the throng of men.

  Dinner was a smorgasbord—a delicious rib roast, several different vegetables, yams, mashed and baked potatoes, fresh baked buns, gravy and pies for dessert. It smelled delicious and she was really hungry since she’d had
no part in making it. Usually, when cooking herself, she’d taste everything and had no appetite afterward. After loading her plate, she looked for somewhere to sit.

  “Here’s a chair for you, beautiful lady,” Chad’s voice sounded behind her.

  “Thanks, Chad.” He looked as handsome as his brothers, also, wearing a white dinner jacket, black bow tie and a white ruffled dress shirt.

  “Has anyone mentioned you look stunning?”

  “Not using that particular word, no. Thank you.”

  “I’d like you by my side for the rest of the evening, Topaz. That’s if you don’t mind?”

  “Hell no. It’ll keep the wolves at bay. I hope,” she quipped.

  “I saw you surrounded by a bunch of hopefuls.”

  “I saw you hemmed in by a throng of ladies,” she said.

  “Yes. If you and I stick together, not only will we start tongues wagging, but maybe they’ll leave us alone. Unless, of course, you enjoy all that attention.”

  “No, heavens above. I felt quite uncomfortable. By the way, I met your ex.”

  “How exciting for you. I hope she was nice to you?”

  “I hope you meant that sarcastically?”

  He cocked an eyebrow at her. “I gather she wasn’t.”

  “More than likely she blames me for breaking up your engagement.”

  “Well, let’s give her something more to think about. I see you finished your dinner.”

  Taking her empty plate, he set it on the table, then offered his arm. “If you’ll accompany me to the ballroom, Mademoiselle, I’d like to claim the first dance.”

  She melted into his arms. It was a waltz and to her surprise, he was an excellent dancer, as if he’d had ballroom dancing lessons. After the waltz, the band played a more modern piece, but it was a slow, romantic one. Pulling her tightly against his chest, she rested her face against him. Both of his arms were around her now. Is it my imagination or is he holding me really close? His hips were against her body, rotating gently. She could feel the bulge at his crotch press against her. It excited her to no end. When his head rested on top of hers, she almost lost her footing. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to enjoy the moment, to feel safe and warm in his arms and almost loved. Then a sudden thought occurred to her. Is he doing this to make Rachel jealous? Is he still in love with that plastic doll? The idea he could be using her for that purpose, wrenched at her heart.