Wild Ride: Lance and Tammy (9 page)

***

“
Family?
”  Lance stated when they stood in the foyer to her parents’ apartment.  The place was packed with people arriving at the same time. He pulled her close and looked down at her with a quizzical expression. “How much
family
do I have to memorize?"

“May I take your coat?” A male servant in black slacks and a red-tailed jacket asked Lance. He was one of many receiving guests in the foyer.

It was her mother’s way of making an impression.  The food was probably the best New York had to offer and the décor was professionally done. It probably took weeks—months to set up the place. Her parents’ apartment wasn’t the penthouse, but it was still high priced with over five thousand square feet.  Not as posh as Lance’s but a close second.

Lance removed Tammy’s wrap in the same manner he’d put it on her and handed it to the man.  Then he removed his own coat and gave it to him. 

She looked up at him and smiled remembering the ‘actor’ comment. 
Actor my ass
, she thought to herself.  He was doting and adoring, and yes they did have an audience, but she felt that the man’s attitude toward her had changed since she told him about her chastity.  Well, she certainly wasn’t going to say anything and risk stopping the attention she was getting.  She loved it. “Don’t worry they’re not relatives.  My mother likes to throw extravagant parties,” she explained about the crowd.  “I’m sure most of the people invited to the wedding never even met my brother.”

Lance didn’t say anything after that but took her arm and wrapped it through his while he stepped into the great room.  There must’ve been at least thirty people there, and Tammy only recognized about eight of them.  Some of them were her father’s business associates, and Uncle Owen, on her father’s side.

Her father spotted them first at put a hand on his brother’s shoulder.  She saw him say something which caused her uncle to turn his head and see them.  He nodded his greeting. Tammy leaned close and spoke softly to Lance. “That’s my uncle.  He’s a financer.  He’s very rich, so my mother thinks he’s wonderful.  He’s my only other living relative.”

Lance smirked.

The two older men came forward and Tammy’s father introduced Lance to his brother.  He first said hello to his niece, kissed her on the cheek and told her she was beautiful.

“Thanks Uncle Owen.”

“My future son-in-law, Lance Hartley.”

Tammy actually thought she heard a hint of pride in her father’s voice.  Guilt started to seep in again.  The last person she wanted to deceive was her dad.  He never criticized her. However, he never said he supported her either, but she knew deep down that he loved her.  Still, she was never dishonest about anything in her life.  She was always straightforward even to her unaccepting mother.

“I’ve heard of you, and George filled me in on the rest. A damn good lawyer.”

“All gossip and fabrication.” He shook his outstretched hand giving him a warm greeting.

Owen Van Allen laughed. “Humility in a lawyer.  I think hell just froze over.”

Lance smiled. “You might be surprised, but that’s not the first time I heard that.”

“The city could still use you.”

“I’m retired.”

“It’s a shame Hartley.  I can understand though after what happened.”

Tammy swung her eyes to Lance who looked completely unaffected.  What did happen?

“As I said, I’m retired,” he repeated.

There was no stress in his tone, nor a hint in his expression that indicated that what her uncle said bothered him, but it’s what wasn’t there that made her know it did.  It seemed as if the lawyer in him suddenly emerged and he was in the courtroom; professional and unreadable. Gone was the smile.  In its place was an expression that couldn’t be deciphered. He looked like someone completely different.  Still gorgeous as heck though.

“Well, it must be nice then.  I still have a few years left.  It would help if my wife didn’t have such expensive tastes,” George joked, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

Owen’s attention was dragged to another guest that waved at him.  He and George excused themselves wandered off.

“Gosh I’m feeling guilty,” Tammy whispered as they mingled through the crowd.

“We’ll make it an amicable break-up,” Lance responded while scanning the crowd.

She nodded but didn’t say anything else in case they were overheard.

“Tammy!”

Her brother’s voice reached her through the murmurs of the throng.  Tammy’s face split into a genuine smile as Royce suddenly appeared and scooped her up in a bear hug, kissed her hard on the cheek and released her.  He cupped her shoulders grinning at her. 

“You’ve cut your hair! You look great!”

“So do you.”

Her brother was almost as tall as Lance.  He had dark auburn hair like her and deep brown eyes.  He was the only son and was favored by their mother, so he wasn’t forced to do things he didn’t want to.  She’d envied his childhood in a lot of ways.  Yet, it didn’t take away from how much she loved him.

“I’m so glad our father found you.” He hugged her again. “Don’t stay away so much Tammy, I missed you,” he scolded in good humor.

She shrugged.  “I had my reasons.”

“I know.” His grin never faltered. “But not all of us feel the way mother does.”  His eyes went to the tall stranger behind her.

“Oh, Royce, this is Lance Hartley.” Tammy introduced them.

His brows rose. “The fiancé?”

By the tone of his voice, Royce was impressed. She nodded embarrassed.  Again she felt guilty.

“Well, hell man, nice to meet you!” He held out his hand and Lance shook it. “It’s nice to see that someone finally captured my sister’s heart.”

“Congratulations on your upcoming wedding,” Lance said genuinely while still shaking the man’s hand. 

Tammy could tell right away that he like her brother.  She was really glad because it worried her.  In fact, she was surprised at the relief she felt seeing the exchange.  She loved Royce and it meant a lot that Lance liked him. She just didn’t think she was so worried about it

“Yeah, Anne is amazing. I’m really happy.” He looked back and forth at the both of them his eyes practically sparkling. “She’s being occupied by mother right now telling her how her wedding is going to go, but when you meet her, you’ll love her.  I mean she’s got a great sense of humor Tammy.”

“She sounds wonderful.”

“She is, and her family is filthy rich, so mother likes her,” he laughed. His expression became serious for a moment. “Tammy, I don’t know where you’ve been hiding, but I would really like to see you more than just a phone call every few months.”

“I know Royce.” She breathed deeply. “I had to separate myself—”

“Yes, I know, because Richard is a dick—“

She laughed and out of the corner of her eye she could see Lance smile.  She could also see Richard across the room.  He couldn’t hear what they were saying but his eyes narrowed in jealously.  Yes, he never did like her laughing at anything but his own jokes.

“—and mother was relentless in designing your whole life, but you also cut off people that love you.” His expression became serious. “Did that ass do something to you?”

She paled.  She tried to stop it, but the question was so sudden, that with it, came the flood of a memory.

“That son of a—”

She put her hand on her brother’s. “I’m fine.” She turned and looked up at Lance who stepped up close beside her.  There was definite concern in his eyes. No, she didn’t tell him all of it.  She didn’t want to.  No one needed to know.

Royce leaned in close. “I’ll fucking kill him if he laid a hand on you.”

“And ruin your wedding.  Don’t you dare, or I’ll head back home to Montana,” she said sternly.

“Of course you would.  You would leave me with these vultures to strip the meat off my bones.  Christ, I don’t even know any of these people.  Mother’s acquaintances, no doubt.”

His humor returned and she felt relieved.  She smiled. “I
would
leave you and you’d be a carcass before you know it.”

He shook his head and planted a quick kiss on her cheek again. “Let’s not fight.  I don’t want to lose you again.  I know the time we will spend together will be short, and precious.”

“Thanks Royce.”

He looked and Lance. “Keep her away from him. I don’t want to be charged with murder before my wedding.” His eyes went back to his sister.  He was smiling, but it definitely didn’t reach his eyes.  He was dead serious.

“I will,” Lance said without hesitation. “But if I can’t, I know a good attorney,”

“Good to know.” He laughed, grinned again, and left.

“We will talk about
that
later,” Lance said in her ear.

He was referring to what Royce indicated with Richard. She felt a tingle go through her at the sound of his deep voice, but it was short-lived.  She wasn’t all honest with him, but quite frankly, it was none of his business.

Dinner was called at that time and she was thankful, starting to feel uncomfortable with him cross-examining her in looming silence.

Once in the large dining room, Royce introduced his bride-to-be.  Her name was Anne Boisclair and she was lovely.  She had brown hair and beautiful blue eyes. She was slender like Tammy, but much shorter.  She had a wonderful genuine smile that practically lit up the room.  She reminded Tammy of Tess Hartley.  Small, sincere and full of love, even more so when her eyes landed on Royce.  She genuinely loved him. Anne told them her father couldn’t make it today but would certainly be there tomorrow.  He had business in Washington. It turns out that her father is a United States Senator, but she certainly didn’t act privileged.  Royce teased her a few times and she received it in good humor, laughing. Tammy couldn’t be happier for him.  He was able to find someone that wasn’t superficial and ruined by people like her mother.  Royce had told her that Anne’s mother had died from ovarian cancer just over a year ago.

Gosh, that must’ve been so hard for her to be married without her mother being there.  Tammy’s heart went out to her. 

Her eyes sought out her own mother. It was unfortunate that she never even acknowledged her all evening.  She should have counted her lucky stars though. She overheard her telling one of her father’s business associates that her daughter was marrying a farmer because she always felt like the working class should be treated like equals.  Who would say something like that?  The sad thing was, she knew if she was standing beside her, she still would have introduced Tammy that way.  Obviously her father or brother hadn’t said anything to her about who Lance really was.

She should have been offended at her, even angry, but she wasn’t that eighteen year old anymore. Instead she smiled to herself.  First of all, he wasn’t a farmer.  He did have cattle, but that wasn’t the ranch’s staple.  It was the thoroughbreds. According to Colt, the last foal they had sold was for one and a half million and they sold more than half a dozen a year. Regardless, her mother didn’t have any idea of the integrity, determination, hard work and humility it takes to run a farm.  You get no sleep, you work from sun up to sundown, and you are basing your life on cattle and grain prices and not sure if you can afford to run the farm for another year.  The Hartleys had wealth on their side to begin with so they had an advantage.  From what she’d seen, not many men do when trying to run a spread.  It was feast or famine. 

Her mother made it sound like a degrading way to make a living to her friends, but there was pride in that way of life.  Her mother certainly couldn’t manage it for an hour. Her perfectly manicured nails would get chipped. She was so glad she didn’t live under her influence anymore. If she did, would she be just like that now? Still though, she couldn’t dislike her.  After all, if it weren’t for the woman, she wouldn’t exist.  Also, she was just naïve in the ways of a rancher’s way of life. It was unfortunate that she was passing judgment on things she didn’t know anything about, but that’s just the way she was. She will keep hope that one day her mother will accept her choices.

When they went to take their seats for dinner Tammy could see that there were names at the place settings.  Surprisingly she had Lance next to her.  Of course it was expected, but she figured the woman would find a way to separate them. Maybe she figured that he probably take that seat anyway. It obvious from the way he presented himself that he didn’t take orders from anyone.  Next to her, on the other side, was Richard, and then her sister.

She looked at Lance just as Richard came in the room with Melanie hanging on his arm like a koala bear. Somehow they’d managed to avoid him up until now. “My mother has me beside him.”  Her sister seemed to have been avoiding her up until then too, but she was in no hurry to reacquaint herself.  So, it was a little on both sides.  She honestly didn’t know what to say to her.

Lance nodded like he’d expected just that. 

Out of the corner of her eye she could see her mother look in their direction triumphantly.  Who would find such pleasure in this?  She obviously thought she could rub her sister’s happiness in her face, but really, her sister didn’t look all that happy.  That was not going to happen!  She honestly didn’t know why that was so important to her.  She stopped trying to figure her out years ago.