Wild Ride: Lance and Tammy (10 page)

“Lance, this is my fiancé, Melanie, Tamara’s older sister.” Richard was looking at Tammy when he said it.

She gritted her teeth and smiled through them. “Nice to see you again Melanie.” Her sister returned a polite greeting.

There weren’t many people in the world she didn’t like, but Richard would come close to that.  When she was engaged to Richard, she wouldn’t give in to his constant pressures and have sex with him, so he started having an affair with Melanie. When she found out she broke it off with him. Actually she was grateful to her sister.  She really needed a reason. Yet, he fully intended on them still getting married despite his indiscretions and her mother actually supported him, not her.  Richard told her everyone cheats, it’s expected.  She found it repulsive. It was her sister! How could anyone possibly expect
that?

Then she considered her mother and father and wondered if there were any indiscretions there.  It couldn’t have been. Only after seeing the other Hartley brothers and their marriages, she knew this wasn’t acceptable at all.  Gosh she was so naïve at the time.

“Of course,” Lance acknowledged Richard’s introduction halfheartedly as if there was something more interesting in the room.

Tammy noticed Melanie’s eyes did a slow once over on Lance, then she actually licked her bottom lip.  She was standing right beside him for crying out loud! Well, Lance was quite a catch. Women have been trying for years to tie him down with no success.  Like he said, he knew what he looked like to the opposite sex.  Maybe Melanie didn’t even realize she did that.

“I see you’re getting married too, Tammy. Congratulations.  Mother told us.  I’m happy for you.” Melanie tried her best to give her a supportive smile, but it actually seemed sad and a little envious.

Of course mother did.  She probably brought up the ‘farmer’ statement again telling her sister she was marrying beneath her, but then Melanie saw what her farmer looked like.  Inwardly she grinned.  She also hoped her father would set people straight if they asked him.  She’d seen the admiration in his eyes over knowing who Lance was. Oh, how she’d love for Richard to fall on his ass over that.  Still though, she’d rather be engaged to a farmer than a millionaire any day.  She looked up at Lance. Well, there was one exception.

“Isn’t it wonderful though, that you and Richard didn’t work out?  I’m so happy.” She tightened her grip on his arm.

Tammy saw the possessive gesture, but it was as if Melanie was trying to convince herself more than anyone that she made a good choice. Suddenly a wash of sympathy went through her.  Melanie was always competitive with her, but honestly she was always in her mother’s favor, so she didn’t understand why.  She trusted her and she was betrayed by her, but now she could see what hurt and anger blinded her from back then.  Melanie honestly thought that because people saw Richard as a good choice in a husband, that it was true.  That’s what this life did to you.  Trying to keep up with the Joneses or trying to understand what the Joneses were going to do next.  All along she thought Melanie wanted Richard because she had him.  No, Melanie wanted Richard because she thought it would make her look good. Her mother put her under the same pressure, but for some reason insisted on her and Richard as a couple.  The difference was, Melanie tried her best to conform to what they wanted.  Tammy didn’t. In retrospect, Melanie did her a great favor.   She can have him. “I’m very happy for you,” she answered sincerely.  It was unfortunate though, because Richard would hurt Melanie just like he did her.

“Thank you,” she answered.

People were starting to take their seats, and Lance pulled out Tammy’s chair for her.

“So when is your big date?” Richard asked taking a seat next to her.

She cast a quick glance at Lance before answering. “W-we haven’t really decided yet.”

“That’s a beautiful ring,” Melanie said with envy. She glanced at her own in comparison.

“Oh,” she’d forgotten.  “Lance had it brought in today.  It was at the jewelers getting sized.” Well, she didn’t really lie.  It was at the jewelers until today. A blush warmed her cheeks.

“He must’ve saved a long time for that.” Melanie said.  “It looks expensive.”

Richard flicked his gaze from the ring to Lance who was speaking to her brother Royce on the other side of him.  Oh, how she wished she could have her brother next to her instead of Richard.  She could see the look of surprise in Richard’s eyes.  It was obvious the ring she wore was more than a lifetime worth of savings for a ‘farmer’ and Richard could easily see that.

“What did you say your fiancé did?” he asked quietly.

“He raises cattle and horses,” she reminded him trying to suppress a smile and doing a terrible job.

“That’s it?”

“Well, he also has a job in town.”  She bit her lip this time.

His eyes narrowed and his voice lowered so only she could hear. “Two jobs? I’m not stupid Tammy.  How does a farmer and a part-time job pay for a ring that cost six figures?  His suit also cost more than mine.  Bullshit, he’s a farmer.”

“I never said he was a farmer, my mother did. I said he raised cattle and horses,” she corrected.

“Are these cattle laden with gold?” he replied a little sarcastically darting his eyes to the tall, impressive man seated beside her. Lance was still in conversation with Royce.

“Why Richard, careful, you sound jealous.”  She looked past him to Melanie and could see the hurt in her expression as she bowed her head. 
Wow, he really has you trained,
thought Tammy. 

He scoffed. “I have a successful job with a guaranteed future as full partner.  I just don’t think spending that much on a trinket is worth it.”

“Maybe that’s why I have her and you don’t.  I personally think she’s worth it.”

Richard’s eyes lifted over her head to Lance. A thrill went through her at the sound of Lance’s cool tone and deep voice.  She honestly didn’t think he could hear them over the chatter in the room.  How wrong she was.  The smile she wore near split her face.  Her brows rose at Richard as if to say ‘well, there’s your answer for that’.

Richard shrugged feigning indifference, but she knew better.  He never let anything go.  She had personal experiences with him to prove it.

The sound of silverware ringing the surface of expensive crystal interrupted the flow of conversation around the table.  George Van Allen stood up and told the servers to fill their glasses for a toast.  With the amount of staff there, it was done quickly.

He cleared his throat abruptly and glanced around the table with a smile. “I would like to take this opportunity to say how pleased I am to have all my family present for this occasion.  I couldn’t ask for anything better—“

“Here! Here!” shouted Royce raising his glass.

George chuckled. “Not just my son, but my daughters as well.  I’m even more pleased to welcome a wonderful daughter in law to my family tomorrow—Anne.” He bowed his head acknowledging her.  People applauded. She answered with a shy ‘thank you’.  “Now, most of you know that my oldest daughter is engaged to Richard—” More clapping interrupted his speech. “But I would also like to acknowledge Lance Hartley, my future son-in-law.  Nothing makes me more proud to see that my baby girl has found happiness in a very successful, yet unfortunately retired, attorney.  I’m sure many of you that have heard his name in the papers and the media would agree that New York lost a great District Attorney when he moved to the country.”

Well you could have heard a pin drop after that confession.  Tammy looked down the table at her mother whose mouth was literally hanging open. She heard Richard swear under his breath.  The other guests started murmuring in confusion.  Obviously her mother had already worked the crowd that she was marrying a lowly farmer.  Now here she sits with someone who obviously had made a name for himself.  People still recognized it after five years.

Royce stood up breaking the silence and started clapping.  Soon the rest followed suit, embarrassed about their assumptions.  She wondered if her father did this purposely.  One look at him told her he did.  He winked and lifted his glass to take a large swallow.  She grinned at him.  He really did care!  It was subtle but wow she would take it! Maybe he always really did, but she was young and immature at the time thinking that his silence was in support of her mother. He always stayed out of the arguments that she and her mother had.  He probably had his reasons, but she could have kissed him over this. Lance reached under the table and took her hand to get her attention.  She turned to him still in awe over her father’s behavior.  He seemed to know what she was thinking.

“I wasn’t worried.  You shouldn’t stress so much what people think.”

“It wasn’t about me.”  She didn’t like people believing in lies about someone she cared for.  Again that just reinforced why she left.

“I know it wasn’t.  I don’t care what people think of me either, Tam.  I’m a big boy.  I can take criticism from the worst of them.  I grew up in this crowd.”

What?  How could he? He’d told her that the Lansdowne Ranch was a bust when her father took it over.  He and his brothers would talk about how hard their father would make them work.  She really wanted to ask him, but they were interrupted by numerous congratulations after the crowd recovered from its shameful belief in the gossip.  Her mother looked like she was about to faint.

Over the next few hours, she just went through the motions that she was trained to do from an early age.  Her mother even acted as though Lance was now a part of the family and she could have screamed.  Why couldn’t she just accept her choices because she loved her?

***

Soon they were heading home in the car, and Tammy couldn’t contain herself any longer. “I thought you said your dad inherited a ranch that wasn’t breaking even.  How could you possibly be raised in that crowd?”

“Yes I did say that,” he agreed, “and it’s true, but he’d struck oil on his ranch in Texas in his mid-twenties before he got married—before any of us were born.  The ranch was inherited at a young age from the death of his parents, my grandparents. 
He
was poor, from a poor cattle rancher but
we
, as a family, never were.  The oil deposit was one of the biggest in Texas.  My father is the CEO and owner of BT Energy.  He’s a billionaire.”

Her mouth fell. She’d met him once, but he dressed like a cowhand.  Her eyes searched his to see if he was teasing her.

He shook his head, telling her he wasn’t. “That didn’t mean he didn’t teach us the value of a dollar.  I never lied to you.  I just didn’t tell you everything.  He made us work for every cent we have today.  He demanded we get an education to learn the value of life, work, and our own successes.  I got into Harvard on my own volition.  He did not influence the decision.  Jacob and Colton too.  They made their own way.  Of course we all own shares in the company, but I would never trade my life for anything else. Neither would my brothers.”  He placed his hand on her thigh. It contracted as if it helped her to accept what he just told her.

No wonder he could just afford to live in his penthouse a couple of days a month.  It was just pocket change to him.  Yet, you’d never know that he was so wealthy if you’d run into him working the ranch with his employees.  “I’m having a really hard time absorbing this.”

“Not many people know that about us, Tam.  It’s not something we like to tell people. Those close to us know, like Tess and Elaina, but we don’t like to be treated any differently.  We all had a choice.  I could be still living here, but like my brothers, I chose a more humble life.”

God, look at you.  Of course you are going to be treated differently.  Your genetics made you that way
, she thought. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“It wasn’t necessary,” was his response.

And that was it.  Nothing else. She took a deep breath, angry at him and angrier at herself.  She began to think she was a spoiled rich girl with the way she whined about being around money.  There were people that would give anything to have what her family had even with the issues.  She needed to stop the pity train.  Money wasn’t the issue, it was the people that money created. “Why are you telling me now?”

“Because I know it doesn’t matter to you.  If anything it’s aversive because of your history. I guess I’ll have to rely on my irresistible charm to woo you.”

She laughed. 

Once they were back in the penthouse she turned to him.  Her humor was fading over other thoughts. She just had to make sure of something. She would have liked to know if Lance had any more surprises so she wasn’t gaping like an idiot just like everyone else. She felt herself get frustrated over the situation because, she realized, she was no different than their assumptions thinking he was a poor farm boy at one point. “I don’t like to play games Lance.  For future reference, could you please let me in on your surprises?”

“I wouldn’t have told you I was filthy rich if I didn’t think you had a need of coming to my defense.  Besides, Tammy, this penthouse should have indicated something.”

“Yes, I know.  I felt like an idiot though.  As your fiancé I should know these things.  Can you imagine if someone saw my expression when you confessed how much you’re worth?” She rubbed her face with her hands. “It’s just so complicated.  Stupid and complicated. I’ve never deceived anyone before.  Maybe I’m just taking it out on you.  I’m sorry.  It shouldn’t matter what you’re worth.  I don’t know why I’m so worked up.”