“Five million!”Olivia yelled.“You offered the two best menI ever met in my life five million to leave me?”
“Now, Livie, I wasn’t actually going to pay them,” Jackreplied with a wince.“I was going to show you how mercenary they were.But itturns out they weren’t at all.They didn’t care about the money.They onlywanted you.”
“I’m surprised.Five million?”Keane asked.He moved toGarrett’s side, watching Olivia.But Garrett felt a hand on his waist, likeKeane wanted the physical connection.“Did you negotiate at all?I think wecould have gotten ten out of him.And for the record, Jack, I would have takenyour money and still married your daughter.So we’re kind of even.”
Jack grinned.“Yeah, that’s good.We’re thinking on the samelines.See, Livie, we’re getting along.And Garrett did negotiate.I’m going tocube Keane’s truck and give it a place of honor with the other cubes, andGarrett’s going to buy him a new one.”
“What?”Keane’s brows rose.“Wait a minute.That’s mytruck.”
“It’s a piece of crap, Master.Would you allow me to drivearound alone in it?”Now that he looked back, he could see all the sneaky waysKeane had topped him over the years.He would insist on driving with Garrettbecause he wanted to get out of the house.Sure, he did.Keane was a homebodywho didn’t love peopling, yet if Garrett needed to run an errand, he suddenlyneeded some fresh air.All because he didn’t want Garrett to be alone if thetruck broke down.
“I wouldn’t…” Keane began, and then his jaw squared.“No.No, I wouldn’t allow you to drive it on your own because I think it could bedangerous.”
“And what do we do to dangerous things, Keane?”Jackprompted.
“Well, we should sell them if we thought we could get a dimeout of it,” Keane argued.“Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of cash sittingaround, so I don’t have car cubes as artwork in my office.I’m not having mysub go into debt so you can have another footrest.”
“I was thinking more like the support for a tabletop,” Jackmused.
“I think we can afford a truck.”Garrett handled the moneyfor the most part.Keane could be stingy with it since they’d had so little inthe past.“I’ll show you the budget for it, Master.”
The word kind of rolled off his tongue now.It felt right.It felt good to be able to call Keane that without worry because hisgirlfriend’s father was comfortable with the lifestyle.
“Dad will buy the truck, and it will be new and it will haveall the bells and whistles and cup holders because his precious daughter isgoing to be driven around in it,” Olivia vowed, her voice low.“It seems onlyright since he was willing to put a good man in jail over a misunderstanding.”
“There was no misunderstanding,” Jack shot back.“You weredrugged and someone tried to kidnap you.But I was wrong about the who.Andyes, I will obviously be providing the truck, which will have all the comfortsmy baby girl needs.”
“Mr.Barnes,” Keane began.
Garrett would stop him, but some things had to be learned.
“Now you listen to me, Keane,” Jack said with determination.“I don’t want to hear about your pride.Pride’s got nothing to do in the faceof family.I know I was a jackass.Believe me, that message has been deliveredby several people tonight.The good news is I don’t have any other children Ican lose my cool over, so this is it.I expect you two to marry her eventuallyso I don’t fuck up again.Livie, I’m going to get in that helicopter and headback to Dallas before Julian tries to bury me on my own land.The house isyours for another couple of days, but I’m watching.Your men promised to keepan eye on you.It goes against everything in my body to leave you, but youtrust them and your momma thinks you need some time alone with them.”He leanedover and kissed his daughter’s forehead.“I love you.Forgive me so I don’thave to be in the doghouse with my entire family.”
Olivia’s eyes went bright with tears.“You’re forgiven.Buthe does need a new truck if he’s going to work here.And we’ll need to fix theoffices as soon as possible because Garrett needs his own office so he doesn’thave to listen to me and Josh argue all the time.”
“Olivia, I’m only here until your brother gets back,” Keanesaid.
“Her brother is fired as the foreman of the ranch,” her dadannounced.“And hired as co-president of Barnes-Fleetwood.I’ll let Lucas knowthat since he thinks so highly of you, I’ve decided to hire you on.That shouldshut my brother up.”
“I…” Keane began.
Garrett put a hand on his shoulder.“Do you want to be thatfar from Olivia?She obviously needs someone to watch her.She gets into a lotof trouble.”
Jack’s smile brightened.“I hadn’t thought about that.Withtwo men on her, Sam and I can relax.”He leaned in, eyes narrowing.“But knowif you ever hurt her…”
“They’ll have to deal with me,” Olivia announced.“And myfriends.I happen to know Gigi has been waiting to use her nursing skills inthe field.”
Keane’s shoulders came down from around his ears.“You’llkeep us in line, won’t you, little brat?”
“And it’s time for me to go.”Jack held out a hand.“Keane,I’m truly sorry for rushing to judgment.I hope you’ll give me a secondchance.”
Garrett rather thought Jack and Keane would get along realnice.
Keane shook his hand.“You were looking out for yourdaughter, sir.”
Jack nodded and started to walk toward the door that led tothe hall before turning back one last time.“And Keane, you might not have hada father before, but I hope you’ll view me as one in the future.Loving mydaughter makes you my son.Don’t you forget that.Take care of her.Prove myfaith is not mistaken.”
He turned and walked out.
