Some Like It Ruthless (A Temporary Engagement) (17 page)

Maggie towered over all of them, figuratively and literally.

The men stared and the women ignored, and Cole knew she hadn’t been kidding about not having friends.

He’d only ever had one himself and he took her hand, sliding it through his arm. She leaned into him and whispered, “I’m not going to be able to use my outfit if you keep me draped all over you.”

“We, Maggie. Tonight it’s
we
.”

She scanned the room, finally noting the interest in the two of them together, and turned toward him. “Oh.”

He smiled into her eyes and her shoulders relaxed.

The hostess came toward them, holding her hands out to Cole. “Cole Montgomery! We’ve never seen you at a function before.”

He took her hands and didn’t say what he wanted to. Didn’t say he’d rather be buck naked, trying to outrun a thousand angry bulls than to be dressed up and swimming with these sharks.

The woman glanced at Maggie. “Margaret, it’s been too long.”

“Paula.”

Cole dropped Paula’s hands, reaching for Maggie’s again.

Paula gave a tinkly laugh and said, “And here we’d thought we’d got ridden of you for good. You’re like a cat, always landing on your feet.”

“Better than landing on my back, don’t you think?”

Paula’s nostrils flared and Maggie said, “And here comes your husband now.”

Cole froze, sure he wasn’t hearing that right. He looked at the anger on Paula’s face, the stupid one on her husband’s.

Cole motioned for a server, then grabbed a flute of champagne for Maggie, then himself.

The husband cried, “Margaret, my darling! I’m so happy you could come, and you brought Cole Montgomery! Those rumors must be true then. Engaged, are you?”

The man lifted Maggie’s free hand, bending to kiss it, and Cole bit out, “Yes.”

Paula looked down at the hand her husband was slobbering over and said, “No ring?”

Cole said, “You know Margaret. It has to be just right, which means we haven’t agreed on one yet.”

Maggie pulled her hand away from the lecher moments before Cole ripped his lips off, saying, “You haven’t met Cole, have you, Simon?
All
the rumors about him are true, I’m afraid.” She said to Cole, “And I don’t know why we have to agree about the ring since I’ll be the one wearing it.”

“It’s
my
ring on
your
finger.”

Paula said, “Not to mention, your money.”

Cole said, “For a little while longer, at least.”

Paula’s eyes widened to saucers and she squeaked, “No pre-nup?”

“A pre-nup? Why would I need one? I’m never letting her go.”

Maggie’s eyes sparkled and her mouth puckered. Cole was fairly sure she was trying not to laugh when she said, “Cole. Really.”

Paula squeaked something, turning from them and racing off.

Cole watched her scurry away, drinking his champagne. He grimaced at the sweetness and muttered, “Christ. I need a beer.”

Simon took a step closer to Maggie. “I’m sure I can find one for you, old boy. Margaret will bring it to you.”

Maggie and Cole said at the same time, “No.”

She turned Cole away forcibly and said over her shoulder, “Go ask someone about those rumors, Simon. Before you do something stupid.”

She walked Cole away and said, “Simon and Paula Blackwood. Paula found herself a man with money and brought him back to Dallas about five years ago. As you can see, he’s flourished.”

“I’ve never heard of them.”

“He plays golf. And drinks. And chases skirts. It’s no surprise you haven’t met him. Paula is the daughter of Red Griffith.”

At his blank look she said, “Of Griffith Ave. Old Dallas money. Before your father got ahold of it.”

He looked over his shoulder, trying to find the woman. “Then why was she glaring daggers at
you
?”

“I have a standing invitation with her husband.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

Cole told his fingers not to break the champagne stem in two, it wasn’t the man’s neck. “No wonder his wife looks like she wants to skewer you with a serving fork.”

“Oh, we’re good friends,” she said as he took a sip, and he snorted into his champagne glass, coughing. Maggie took a step closer, rubbing his back until he could breathe again.

He turned to glare at the man, staring long enough for the stupid look on Simon Blackwood’s face to turn into a questioning one. Long enough for it to turn into fear.

“Your standing invitation just exploded.”

She didn’t bother to turn around. “What a shame.” She patted his hand. “Try not to take it personally, Cole. Simon has a standing invitation with anything willing to wear a skirt.”

He narrowed his eyes. “What does that mean?”

“It means you could be next. If you’re willing to wear the skirt.”

Cole looked again to find Simon still watching him, the fear mixed now with something else, and Maggie whispered into his ear, “You are rather impressive. Enough to make anyone wonder if they’d be willing to wear the skirt.”

Cole glared at the man until he finally turned away, melting into the crowd.

Cole turned back to Maggie and she said, “It’s an ugly feeling, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Aren’t you tired of these people yet, Maggie?”

She cocked her head, looking genuinely perplexed. “Aren’t people like this everywhere? And I didn’t come to mingle with the likes of him.” She nodded in another direction, saying, “I came to mingle with the likes of him.”

Cole looked where she was nodding and said, “Not Harwood.”

“He has connections, Cole. Money goes through him, people talk to him,
deals
go through him.”

“
Not
Harwood.”

Jackson Harwood began making his way to them and Cole turned to Maggie. “I’m telling you right now, Maggie, not Harwood. I won’t survive it. He won’t survive it.”

Jackson sidled up, nodding to Cole and saying, “So, what do you think? Interested?”

At their blank looks, he said, “Didn’t Tanner tell you?”

Cole said, “We’ve been busy.”

Maggie squeezed his arm. “Monday. Remember? We’re meeting with Tanner on Monday.”

Cole looked at her, then back at Harwood. He couldn’t help his grimace. “You think Monday is about Harwood here?”

Jackson said, “I’d be happy to meet with you, just name the time.”

Cole said, “Eight o’clock. In Midland.”

“In the morning? In Midland?”

“I only do business in Midland. Just ask Margaret here.”

Maggie gave him an arch look and said, “
I
won’t be in Midland, Jackson. Why don’t we meet for lunch. I’ll bring Tanner.”

Cole took a long, long sip of champagne, draining it, and looked around for a replacement. Something just a little bit stronger.

Jackson shook his head. “Tanner was just the delivery person. I’ll be happy to meet with you alone, Margaret. Though perhaps a little later than eight?”

He smiled at her and Cole thought he heard a popping sound. The popping sound veins made when blood boiled right out of them.

Maggie turned her head to look at Cole as if she’d heard it, too.

Maggie looked into Cole’s eyes and said, “Let me talk with Tanner tomorrow, Jackson. If I like what he says, we’ll get ahold of you.”

When Jackson opened his mouth to argue, she turned to him and said softly, “No Tanner, no deal.”

Cole said, “Or better yet, no deal. Ever.”

Jackson threw his drink back. “I’ve done everything you wanted.”

Cole gave Maggie a long look, then walked away. He couldn’t stand there and listen to her and Harwood.

He knew she hated the man and yet she was willing to work with him again and again. He couldn’t stand it, couldn’t stand Dallas.

Maggie followed him moments later, taking his hand, leading him out to the dance floor. She stepped in close, moving slowly to the music.

After a few minutes of silence, the feel of her body calming him like words couldn’t, she said, “Better?”

He exhaled loudly. “I’ve remembered why I hate this place. Why I return to the dust and the swearing and the sweating every Monday.”

“You return every Monday because it pays you an obscene amount of money. Enough for you to be able to choose. Choose who, how, when. I don’t have that choice.”

“Yes, you do. And you choose to sell yourself.”

“You mean because I’ll work with my greatest nemesis to stay afloat?”

He pulled back to look at her. “Please tell me that you and me is different than you and him.”

“Is it?” She stepped closer again. “It’s only different, Cole, because against my better judgment, I like you. Against my better judgment, I’ll work with him. If I refused to work with everyone I didn’t like, I’d be taking a permanent vacation.”

“What if I keep you so busy, you don’t have time for Harwood?”

She pulled back from him again and he could see the glint in her eye. She said, “Are you talking about sex again?”

“No. But only because I don’t want you to knee me in front of all these sharks.”

“You are putting on a good show for them. I’d hate to ruin it.”

“Everyone wants to see if this is a love match or a power match. I’m just letting them see it’s both.”

He tugged her closer, brought her hand to his heart. He said softly, “We forgot about a ring.”

“Yes. Quick thinking on your part. Am I so hard to please?”

“Oh, Maggie. Look up high maintenance in the dictionary and your picture will have the caption ‘Queen of’ underneath it.”

She chuckled. “And no pre-nup? Where did that come from?”

He shrugged. “Just popped out. She seemed to delight in pointing out it wasn’t your money.”

“That would delight her, yes.”

“And why does she hate you for her husband’s wandering eye?”

“Paula can’t hate her husband. Her pre-nup is ironclad.”

He whispered, “There is something about money.”

“Yes. There is.”

“Luckily, we won’t have one. A pre-nup. That way money won’t come between us.”

Maggie shook her head. “If everyone thinks I’m getting your money, why would they want to work with me?”

“Money goes to he who already has it. Or she. Don’t worry, this will only make them want to work with you more.”

“You might be right. You’re notoriously tightfisted; maybe they’ll think I can loosen the purse strings a bit.”

He spun them quickly, bringer her in tighter. “Maybe you can. Starting with a ring.”

“Cole–”

“You know you need one.”

“Fine. Just go get one.”

He ignored the exasperation in her voice. “I know you. It has to be just right. Brassy enough to go with your ballbuster outfits, big enough to counteract your come-hither outfits.”

“My come-hither outfits?”

“Like that little skirt that looks respectable but rides up just enough to promise that you aren’t.”

She took a step into him, leaving no space between them, pressing her cheek against his so he could feel her smile.

“I’m respectable. The skirt says don’t you wish I wasn’t.”

“Yes. I wish you weren’t. But that’s not what the skirt says.”

He could feel her breath blow across his ear as she laughed quietly.

He smiled, seeing a few faces turned in their direction, seeing hands come up to cover whispers, and he said, “I’ll come back early on Friday, take you to pick out a ring.”

He could feel the tension in her back and he rubbed it soothingly. “It’s not a down payment on your soul, Maggie.”

“Just my body?”

“Maybe traditionally. But I think you should treat it like a contract.”

She pushed against him until there was space between them again.

He said, “That while my ring is on your finger, you’re mine. While my ring is on your finger, I’m yours. You can’t argue with that, can you?”

“Is this why people make deals with the devil? Because it sounds reasonable?”

“You already made the deal. This is the trappings.”

She said, “I am starting to feel a little trapped, yes.”

“I know you’re going to flash my ring around no matter what you say. You’ll work it, make everyone think what you want them to.”

“Like that I’ve got you wrapped around my finger?”

“Everyone knows it already. How else would you get me to marry you without a pre-nup?”

She laughed. “I’ll let them know someday that all it takes is a fake engagement.”

The music stopped and in the pause before the next song they stayed together, smiling.

She finally said, “Ready to go back in?”

He took a deep breath. “It’s what we came for.”

“It is. And just think, anybody will be better than Jackson.”

“That is true. Except maybe Blackwood.”

“You don’t need to worry about Simon. He wouldn’t know what work was if it bit him.”

Ginny was in the kitchen, putting the last of dinner away. Tanner had followed her, sitting at the counter to watch her, picking at the leftovers.

Rosa was getting older and slower, and they couldn’t afford to hire extra help for her. Ginny had taken to helping with the dishes since helping with the food was out of the question.

You were welcome to come in and watch Rosa while she was cooking, but you did not get in her way.