“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. “Iwouldleave 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 aboutthatlater,” 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.
“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 expectthat?
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.
