The Maverick Meets His Match (36 page)

This wasn’t going at all like he’d planned. She really did think he was the devil. The thought pained him so much more now. After they had made love, shared dreams, worked together.

“No. That won’t be necessary.” Ty slid the paper on the table toward her.

She snatched it. He watched as her eyes darted right then left. Like a football receiver who knows he’s going to get hit as he goes up for the ball, Ty steeled himself for the blow. This was his last chance and it was either going to be a touchdown or an incomplete pass.

It took several moments for her to lift her head. The accusations that had filled her eyes were gone, replaced by amazement. “You granted me your personal shares? Why?” Her voice was but a whisper.

If only he could make her understand.

“You now have forty percent of the company—all with voting rights. Along with Tucker and Harold’s share, you have more than enough to form a majority. No one can sell Prescott without all three of you agreeing to it.”

“I don’t understand. How can I accept this? This represents a lot of money, Ty.”

He knew how much to the penny. And for once in his life, it didn’t matter. “Consider it something I owe you. For putting you through all of this.”

Her smile was wobbly, just like her voice. “Does this mean you think Prescott is the better bet for the future?”

For a split second he thought about lying, but that had never been his way. Ty shook his head. “No. I still think accepting Stan’s offer is the best financial deal for future security.”

Her eyes widened, and her fragile smile vanished. “Then why didn’t you accept it? Like grandfather wanted?”

“Because I realized it wasn’t what your grandfather wanted. He wanted to make something work between us. He knew either way the family couldn’t lose. But he pinned his hope for the future on us, both of us.”

Mandy’s body heaved as she took a deep breath. “You mean you and I married, living happily ever after?”

“Yes.”

His throat constricted as if a piece of food was lodged there and he was on the verge of choking. He still had a kernel of hope that his initial decision to sell hadn’t totally decimated what they had been building, but it was just a kernel. Her emotion-packed reaction to his news had driven home how deeply his actions had hurt her.

“She looked down at the paper. “I have something to tell you too, Ty. I hardly know where to start.”

“If it is that you hate me, I already know that.”

She smiled, a sweet, delicate turn of the lips as if he’d said something clever. Was that a good sign? He wasn’t in any position to interpret.

“No. Although I did up until a few seconds ago.”

“I guess I don’t blame you. I’d hoped…” Ty took a deep breath to calm the erratic beats of his heart. “Mandy, I have one more thing to tell you before you tell me your news.”

“I will pay you back. For the stock,” she said.

“I don’t care about the stock or the money. If I did, I wouldn’t have given you the shares.”

“But you always said it was about the money. I don’t understand.” She cocked her head, her gorgeous green eyes quizzical.

This time he’d say it and let things fall where they may. He bent down on one knee. Pulling out the jeweler’s box from his shirt pocket, he opened it. The rings, studded in diamonds, sparkled even in the dim light.

He took a bracing breath. “Mandy, I have fallen in love with you. I want to be with you, and only you. Life isn’t worth anything without the right person to share it with. And these months together have proven to me you are the right person, the only person. I’m hoping you’ll give me another chance to show you that I’m the right person for you. I haven’t done a very good job of making you happy. But if you’ll take another chance on me, I promise I will give everything I have to make you happy because I love you.”

Mandy tried to process Ty’s declaration as he knelt before her, his outstretched hand holding a box with a pair of shimmering rings, but her mind was swamped with a dizzying array of emotions from joy to disbelief, to gratefulness. But the strongest emotion, the one that was swelling her heart like an air pump stuck in overdrive, was love.

“Did you hear what I said? I said I love you.”

She had heard. And it had sent her reeling like a lightweight boxer in a heavyweight fight.

His roughened finger grazed her chin, lifting it so he could peer into her eyes.

“If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, to love me, marry me all over again. This time for real. And this time because we both love each other.”

He’d given her back her company, her family, her legacy. He’d given her a child. And now he’d given her everything.

“Please,” he pleaded, still holding the box in his outstretched hand.

“I’m pregnant.”

His kiss was deep, soul scorching, passionate, and persuasive. She wrapped her arms around his neck. She had no intention of letting go.

Mandy glided across the polished dance floor secure in Ty’s arms while the strains of “Bless the Broken Road” streamed from the house speakers of the private room at the Cattleman’s Club. With all eyes on her and Ty, she stole a glance at her handsome husband, looking darn attractive in his black tuxedo. Just as she sported a pair of white embossed leather and gold-studded cowgirl boots under her gown, Ty had insisted on wearing Caiman boots with his tux in true cowboy style.

It was their first dance together as husband and wife, even if they had been technically married for six months already. This, she felt, was the start of their real marriage. One based on love, not convenience or contrivance.

They’d been lucky the Cattleman’s Club could host the reception on such short notice with some persuading from Libby Cochran’s father and his Cheyenne connections. It helped that it was a Tuesday, the same day of the week six months earlier that they had first said wedding vows.

Today the vows had been handwritten, filled with meaning, and recited before a minister. Friends, relatives, and Prescott employees and their families had been invited to celebrate the occasion. Mandy looked down at her Cinderella wedding dress and the diamond-studded platinum wedding band and engagement ring that now graced her finger, and then into the dark, soulful eyes of the man she loved. And who loved her.

How it had happened, how it had all come out right in the end, she couldn’t understand. But that it had filled her with happiness…and contentment.

After a few stanzas where they danced alone, the floor filled, and two little persons on the edge of the crowd caught her eye.

“Look,” Mandy whispered in her husband’s ear. He turned his head in the direction she was staring.

An impish Jake in a dark suit was squiring little Delanie in pink tulle in a rough approximation of dancing. Actually it looked more akin to a slow skip. They’d been ring bearer and flower girl in the ceremony.

“Now that’s the definition of a cute couple,” Mandy said.

“You know if we have a daughter, she’s not going to be able to date until she’s like, thirty.” Ty broke into a smile that was becoming a more frequent feature of his face these days. In fact, he hadn’t stopped smiling since that day at Trace’s house, almost two weeks ago. And that smile got especially broad when he told someone he was going to be a father. And he had told everyone.

“Good luck with that.”

He chuckled. “I’m going to need it if she’s as headstrong as her mother.”

“Or stubborn as her father.”

Mandy spotted Libby, with her ever-expanding waistline and her handsome bronc-riding husband, Chance, slow dancing in a half embrace. Libby smiled in their direction. She was due any day but had insisted she would make the wedding. Naturally, Libby and Cat had been the bridesmaids. Libby wore the only maternity dress she owned—a blue empire-waisted, cocktail-length dress. Cat happened to also have a fitted blue dress available, though Mandy wouldn’t have been surprised if Cat had secretly bought it just for the wedding.

“I like Chance,” Ty said. “He’s a down-to-earth kind of guy. And clearly in love with your girlfriend. We should spend more time with them. We can learn from their experiences with the baby.”

“I’d like that. What did you think of Cat?”

Cat was sitting alone at her table, keeping a watchful eye on her son.

“She’s a strong woman. Raising a son as a single mother and running a ranch operation. I was thinking maybe Trace and she might find common ground, but I think she’s too much for him to handle.”

Mandy shook her head. “I had someone in mind for her too, but I think events are going to keep it from working out.” Over some land dispute, Cat was taking to court the only man she ever talked about these days, and that was a whole other story.

“You never know. Stranger things have happened.” Ty kissed her on the nose.

They certainly had.

Harold and her mother waltzed by. Harold wore his only suit. Her mother had insisted on buying an eggplant-colored mother-of-the-bride dress that she found online, and she had located a seamstress who guaranteed she would hem it in time.

“Now those two look almost as happy as we do,” Ty noted. “Can’t wait for their wedding next month.”

“That’s because my mother was worried I would never marry and she’d never be a grandma. And now we’ve given her both. And I didn’t have to give up Prescott to do it.”

She felt the squeeze of Ty’s hand. “We are very lucky, Mandy.”

The song ended, and dancers dispersed to their respective tables. Except little Jake and Delanie, who decided to run across the dance floor and out of the room, their respective parent in pursuit.

As Mandy and Ty settled on the dais, Brian approached, a grin on his face.

“I can’t tell you how happy I am to be attending this wedding,” Brian said as he looked around the chandelier-lit ballroom filled with guests. “Or should I say re-wedding.”

“Call it a do-over,” Ty said as he gave Mandy’s knee a pat.

“Well, I have one more thing to do.” Brian reached into the interior pocket of his suit jacket. He pulled out an envelope and laid it on the linen-clad table before them. “A note from your grandfather.” With a nod he walked away.

“Should we read it here?” Mandy asked, feeling a little apprehensive at the prospect. After all, her grandfather’s will had caused quite a bit of havoc in her life, good intentions aside. Not that it hadn’t been worth it all in the end. Or that she hadn’t learned a thing or two about herself along the way.

“I think it only fitting that we read it here, today, don’t you?”

Mandy handed it over to him. “Whatever it says, I still love you.”

She felt the brush of Ty’s lips across her cheek. “And I, you, Mandy Martin.”

Ty opened the envelope and withdrew a single sheet of manila paper. Her eyes welled up at the sight of her grandfather’s handwriting. All that had been missing to make this day truly perfect was his presence. She missed him still. Would always miss him, despite his meddling ways—or maybe because of them.

Mandy leaned against Ty’s shoulder as they read the letter together.

Dear Ty and Amanda:

If you are reading this letter, it means that the biggest bet I ever made has paid off. You two are married, planning on staying married, and Prescott Rodeo Company continues on in good hands.

I know neither of you is probably thrilled with how I went about things. My excuse is that, as your elder, I did what I thought was best. I knew I was running out of time. Death would come too soon for me to play matchmaker and get you both to see you would be perfect for one another. Especially considering before that could take place, I had to teach you both what was important in life.

Mandy, you had to learn to believe in yourself, even when others doubt you—as every stock contractor in the industry undoubtedly did. You also had to recognize that there is more to life than the company—something I learned a little too late. I didn’t want my only granddaughter to make the same mistake I did. And your father did. Tucker, bless him, is right about that.

That was the lesson Ty had to learn too. Using the yardstick of the almighty dollar isn’t a good measure of a successful life. As good a businessman as you had become, Ty, there was nothing else in your life. Hopefully, you have learned there is value in letting someone into your heart, someone who will appreciate you as my granddaughter will and as I expect you will appreciate her.

Have a wonderful life. Give me lots of grandkids to watch over, and always remember what really matters in life.

Your loving grandfather,

J.M. Prescott

Dear Readers,

I hope you enjoyed this book as much as I enjoyed writing Ty and Mandy’s story. Please consider leaving a review on the book’s page on Amazon’s website. This helps increase visibility of the book so other readers can find it. All you need to write is a sentence or two. It means the world to authors to know what readers think of their books.

If you haven’t read it yet,
Loving a Cowboy
is Libby and Chance’s story and the first book in the Hearts of Wyoming series, though you do not need to read these books in order.
The Rancher’s Heart
will be coming out in 2016, where Cat will finally find love with a man she thought she never had a chance with.

And you can weigh in on whose story you would like to see in subsequent books by sending me an e-mail or commenting on Facebook. Would you like Trace to find a wife and a mother for little Delanie? What about that heartbreaker Tucker Prescott? Or Doug Brennan, Libby’s brother from
Loving a Cowboy
?

There are lots of characters who need a second chance at finding their true love in the Hearts of Wyoming series!

Hugs,

Anne

I have been creating stories since I first wondered where Sally was running to in those early reader books. Besides reading and writing romances, you might find me researching western history, at the rodeo, watching football, in the garden, or on the tennis court. Married to my own suburban cowboy, I’m the mother of a twentysomething cowgirl. I’m also the founder of the western romance fan page http://www.facebook.com/lovewesternromances.com.