Texas Tango: Texas Montgomery Mavericks, Book 2 Page 25

  “Just leaving,” KC said. “All yours.”

  They exited and the door closed between them and Elsie Belle.

  “Think she heard anything?” Caroline asked.

  “No. That door is as thick as your head. Nothing gets through it.”

  “Ha. Ha.”

  Caroline had never spent much time thinking about what hell on earth might be like. However, by three p.m., an afternoon bridal shower dedicated to naughty lingerie had made its way to the top of the list. If she saw another pair of thong panties, she thought she might go screaming from the room. But her Southern manners won out. Each gift was opened, cooed over and the giver’s name noted along with a detailed description of each item. She wanted to make sure to get Lydia’s gift of edible panties back to her.

  After the presents were loaded into Travis’s car, the other women wandered off to their vehicles. As Caroline was getting into the driver’s seat, Elsie Belle walked up.

  “That was a nice shower,” she said, her Southern accent barely disguising her true feelings.

  “Yes, it was,” Caroline said. “I admit I was a little surprised to see you here.”

  Elsie Belle straightened from where she’d been leaning on the car parked in the next slot. “I know your little secret. Either you tell everybody or I will.”

  Caroline shoved the key into the ignition. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” A combination of fear and anger made her vision blur. The sudden rush of adrenaline made her a tad nauseous.

  As she began to shut the door, Elsie Belle grabbed it. “I’ll ruin you,” she said. “I’ll tell the entire town about your so-called marriage. You’ll be a laughing stock.”

  “So if you think you know some big secret, why don’t you tell everyone?”

  “I don’t want to do that to Travis. He’s a good man, better than someone like you deserves. I swear. Either you tell his family what you’ve done or I will.” Her eyes glimmered with glee. “Jackie Montgomery will hate you. The entire Montgomery clan will never forgive you for what you’ve done to Travis.”

  “Let me guess. You think you’d be a better wife for him?”

  “You don’t understand,” she said. “You’re just passing through. Travis and I have deep roots here. We belong. You don’t. So, yes, I’d be a better wife to him than you ever would.”

  Caroline shook her head. “Go home, Elsie Belle.” She jerked the door from the offending woman’s hold and slammed it shut.

  “Remember what I said,” Elsie Belle yelled through the closed window. “You need to do the right thing.”

  She steered Travis’s car back to Halo M Ranch with shaking hands. Fear about what Elsie Belle knew—or thought she knew—had caustic acid eating the lining of her stomach. She felt her house of cards tilting. Did Elsie Belle have the gust of air necessary to send the card structure flying?

  She wasn’t sure what, if anything, to tell Travis about the conversation. She knew she should tell him, but with the ongoing ranch rodeo and all the other demands on him right now, she couldn’t dump one more problem on his plate. She walked into a deathly quiet ranch house. Travis was at the breakfast bar. At his elbow sat an open bottle of cheap whiskey with about one-third of it gone. Her heart sank at the sight. Ten years of sobriety gone in a flash. She jerked up the bottle, carried it to the sink and began to pour it down the drain. Abruptly, she stopped.

  “No,” she said and moved back to where Travis sat. “I don’t have the right to tell you what you can and can’t do. I’m not really your wife. You’re your own man.” She sat the bottle back on the counter.

  The damn man smiled, a sad smile, a tired smile, but a smile nonetheless.

  “What are you smiling about?”

  “Not mine. In fact, I’m not even tempted to taste it. I’ve been in that hole and I’m not going back.”

  “So whose?”

  “It’s Noah’s.” He carried the bottle to the sink and finished pouring the amber liquid down the drain.

  His words were like a dagger to her heart. “Oh, Travis. No. Are you sure?”

  After tossing the empty container in the trash, he retook his seat. “I’m sorry, darlin’, but I’m sure. He got it off one of the new cowboys from Riggs & Riggs. Found him sitting with the team around a campfire. From what I understand, they traded it to him for some help around their site.”

  “I hope you kicked that team off your land immediately.”

  He shook his head. “Can’t afford to. They buy a lot of their cutting horses from me.”

  She stepped behind him and began to massage the rock-hard muscles in his shoulders. “I’m the one who should be apologizing to you. I haven’t been fair. My family hasn’t been fair to you. I’m afraid we’ve dumped a lot on you.”

  His hands covered hers. “It’s nobody’s fault. Noah’s a little lost right now. Your grandmother did everything she could, but teenage boys need a firm hand.” He squeezed her fingers. “I’m happy to be that firm hand, that male role model for your brother. He needs stability right now. He needs to know he’s wanted here.”

  “You’re thinking he’s pushing boundaries to see what we’ll do?”

  “He’s pushing boundaries all right, but we all did at that age.” Their fingers laced. “He has a home here for as long as he wants it. I like having him here.”

  Before she could respond, her cell rang. The readout showed the call to be from her medical-placement agency.

  “I’m sorry. I have to take this.” She clicked the answer button. “Dr. Graham.”

  “Dr. Graham. This is Jeffery Cupps. How are you?”

  Dr. Jeffery Cupps was the owner of Cupps Medical Services. As far as she could remember, she’d never spoken with him, only his assistants.

  “Hello, Dr. Cupps. I’m fine. What can I do for you?”

  “This is highly unusual, but we need you to take a six-week assignment in Key West. Your contract with Whispering Springs Medical Clinic is almost over, so I’m sure you’ve been taking the usual steps to disengage from there.”

  Ha! If only…

  “The physician we had scheduled for Key West had a serious accident yesterday and will be laid up for some time. You are the only doctor we currently have on retainer who can fulfill the requirements of that contract.”

  “But I already have another contract after Whispering Springs.”

  “You’ll be done before that contract starts in January. In fact, you’ll even have time for a little vacation before January. We’ll pay you double your usual rate and buy out the remainder of your contract at Whispering Springs.”

  “When would you need me?”

  “Immediately. Dr. Buggs was already in Key West. He was riding his bike when he was hit by a speeding truck.”

  “How horrible.”

  “No kidding. We haven’t anyone else with adequate emergency-department experience to take his place.”

  “I meant the accident.”

  “Oh, yes. That was awful. Anyway, I would need you to fly to Key West on Saturday. Arrangements have already been made for housing and transportation for the six weeks you’d be there. Can I count on you?”

  “That’s day after tomorrow.”

  “Yes, I’m aware of that, but this is an unusual situation. Is this going to be a problem?”

  She glanced at Travis who watched her with a puzzled expression. “What about Whispering Springs Medical Clinic?”

  “I’ll telephone Dr. Henson immediately. Like I said, you were almost out the door there. I’m sure the clinic won’t mind the money they will get from the contract buyout.”

  She picked at a ragged cuticle as she thought about telling Lydia that she was leaving early. Maybe this was for the best, exactly the sign she’d been praying for. It was becoming more and more difficult to not tell Travis how she felt about him. As KC had warned her, she had a tendency to wear her feelings on her face. She needed to put a few hundred miles between them.

  “I need to think about this. Can
I call you back?”

  Dr. Cupps hesitated. “Well, okay, but I need an answer tonight.”

  Caroline set her phone on the counter.

  “What?” Travis asked.

  “That was Dr. Cupps. He needs me to take an emergency assignment in Key West. The contracted physician had a bad accident and is in the hospital.”

  “Can’t someone else do it?”

  She shrugged. “Right now I’m the only other physician who can take over.”

  “So this would be in place of going to Montana in January?”

  “No. This assignment would start immediately.”

  “Like how immediately?”

  “I’d have to leave on Saturday.”

  Travis froze in place for a minute. “Day after tomorrow?”

  She nodded.

  “You’re leaving then?”

  Tell me not to go. Tell me you love me. Ask me to stay and I’ll stay. “I think so. What do you think?” She held her breath, willing him to say what she needed to hear. A sigh. A look of despair. Anything to give her a reason to stay.

  “Well, seeing as how we aren’t really married, I can’t see that I have anything to say about the matter. You need to do what you need to do.”

  “So you think I should go?” Say no.

  “I guess that’s between you and Lydia.”

  “If Lydia is in agreement, then I guess I’ll take the assignment. It’s a lot of money.”

  “Okay then. It’s settled.”

  “Wait. What about Noah?”

  Travis smiled. “He needs to stay here. I like having him here and I think we’re beginning to understand each other well.”

  Caroline wracked her brain for some other reason to stay. Travis obviously didn’t need her here. And he was right about Noah. He would do better with Travis. Plus, she would be gone for only six weeks. Surely by then she’d be over Travis.

  Now that’s pitiful, she thought. You can’t even tell a decent lie to yourself.

  “Are you going to call Lydia?”

  “Yes, right now. I have to call Dr. Cupps back tonight.”

  Lydia had been expecting her call. Apparently, Dr. Cupps had already talked with Lydia before Caroline got the chance.

  “I really hate to see you go,” Lydia said. “I do understand Dr. Cupps’s situation. It’s only six weeks. What about Travis?”

  He doesn’t care if I’m here or not. “He was really understanding about my going. Noah’s going to stay here. The company will continue paying the rent on my house, so I’ll be able to come back and pack up after the assignment.”

  “And move everything to Halo M?”

  “Um, yeah. Dr. Cupps did tell you that he would buy out my contract with Whispering Springs, right? I mean, that’s a chunk of money the office could use.”

  “He did and, yes, the timing is perfect. The portable ultrasound died this morning.”

  “Again?”

  “Yes, but this time I won’t have to try to patch it up or rig it. I’m buying a new one.”

  Lydia’s voice was high-pitched excited, and Caroline was happy her friend viewed her early departure in a positive light.

  “Thank you for everything, Lydia. The last twenty months have been the highlight of my life.”

  Lydia laughed. “You talk like you’re leaving. Don’t be so melodramatic. It’s only six weeks and you’ll be back. Oh. I’ve got a great idea. I bet Travis could meet you there for a late honeymoon. What a perfect spot. I know his parents would help out with Noah.”

  Caroline didn’t correct Lydia’s assumptions. She wouldn’t be back. There wouldn’t be a delayed honeymoon. There’d be no more Travis in her life.

  She’d arrange to have a moving company pack up her house. Historically, she would have sent everything on to the next project location without giving it much thought or maybe back to Mamie’s house if she didn’t need it for the assignment.

  Right now her mind couldn’t process everything. She wasn’t sure where to send her personal belongings. Shipping everything to Key West wouldn’t work. She wouldn’t be there long enough and it was too soon to ship it to Montana.

  “Caroline? You still there?”

  “Oh, sorry. Yes. I was just thinking about everything I’ve got to get done tomorrow.”

  “What about Olivia’s wedding?”

  She didn’t want to be at Olivia’s wedding, and especially didn’t want to be in Olivia’s wedding. She was a fraud, a fake sister-in-law. Olivia—and probably the rest of the Montgomery family—would despise her if they ever found out she’d made Travis fake marry her to get Singing Springs.

  Plus, watching Olivia and Mitch say their wedding vows, seeing the love they had for each other, would probably kill her on the spot.

  “I’ll probably not make it. I’ll call Olivia and let her know.” In fact, while she was talking to Olivia, she’d plant the seed that things between her and Travis weren’t going well. It was time—past time—to let him off the hook.

  She redialed Dr. Cupps. “It’s Caroline Graham. I’ll take the Key West assignment.”

  “Excellent. I knew I could count on you. There will be an electronic ticket waiting for you at the ticket counter. Thank you again, and enjoy Key West.”

  “I’ll try.”

  She clicked off her phone. It was a done deal. She was leaving for Key West. Texas, Whispering Springs and Travis Montgomery would simply be where her brother was living. Not her.

  Until the moment she stepped on the plane for Key West, she hoped he’d call, ask her to come back to Halo M. Hoped he’d say he loved her. Tell her he couldn’t live without her. But as the plane lifted into the air and the ground fell farther and farther away, she saw her hopes and wishes fall with it. He’d been the friend he said he would be. He’d been the lover she’d never imagined existed.

  He’d never promised more.

  She let the one teardrop fall before closing the door on her emotions. Now that Mamie was gone, she didn’t have anyone to lean on. She’d been on her own for years and been fine. She’d be fine again…one day.

  Chapter Nineteen

  By Sunday night, Travis was glad the rodeo was over for another year. Halo M Ranch had had the best year yet for sales and orders. His cousins’ ranch crew from the D&R hadn’t won, but for a first-time ranch, they’d made a good showing and that had pleased him greatly.

  Noah had taken Caroline’s departure with the normal teenage shrug, too involved with all the rodeo activities to be too concerned. Besides, he’d said, she’ll only be gone a little over a month.

  But now Travis sat in his office stunned by the conversation he’d just finished with Caroline. She’d arrived in Key West without a problem. The condo overlooking the beach was lovely. Her new job was fast-paced and interesting. And she’d decided she wouldn’t be returning to Texas.

  The wedding presents needed to be returned with a short letter explaining that, unfortunately, the marriage wasn’t going to work out. KC would be by to pick up the wedding presents in the dining room and return them. She would also pack any of Caroline’s personal belongings and ship them to Key West.

  Travis leaned back in his chair, his heart leaking into his gut.

  She isn’t returning to Whispering Springs. Or Halo M Ranch. Or to me.

  Caroline hadn’t just taken a short assignment. She’d used it to get away from him.

  How the hell had everything gone to shit so fast?

  Where had their relationship gone off the track? How had everything gone haywire without him noticing? It was all because of that damn phone call from her agency. Of course, he hadn’t told her not to go. He didn’t have that right. But how could she not realize he was crazy in love with her?

  He’d tried to tell her so many times, but every time she’d made some comment about their good friendship and he’d backed off. If being friends meant keeping her in his life, then fine. She could call them friends, even if he wanted more.

  When he couldn’t say the wor
ds, he tried to show her with kisses and touches and even song lyrics. Either she never got the message or—even more likely—she had gotten the message and had decided not to acknowledge it. That way she didn’t have to tell him that all she felt was friendship.

  “Hey! Anyone home?” KC’s distinctive Southern voice echoed through Travis’s house.

  “I’m here.”

  “Where?”

  “Kitchen.”

  KC walked into his kitchen, up to his side and whapped him upside the head. “You are a fool, Travis Montgomery. I can’t believe we are even related.”

  “What?” Travis rubbed the throb in his head. “What’d I do?”

  “You let the best thing in your life fly off to Key West.”

  “Don’t hit me again. And I didn’t let Caroline do anything.” He shrugged. “She’s a grown woman. She does as she likes.”

  “Then get on a plane and go down there and get her.”

  “No.” He shook his head. “If she didn’t want to go, she could have turned down the assignment, but did she? No, she did not. She left me. I didn’t do anything.”

  His cousin snorted. “You got that right. You did nothing.”

  “What do you want, KC? You here just to rack my balls?”

  “Nope. We’re here to get her stuff and haul back all those wedding presents.”

  “Oh, right. Well, Caroline didn’t waste any time getting her stuff moved out, did she? What the hell. Who’s with you?”

  “The twins will be here in a minute.” Her statement was accompanied by the sound of two door slams. “And I believe they’re here now.”

  The front door slammed. “Where’s everybody?” Reno called.

  “Kitchen,” KC called back.

  “Hey, cuz,” Darren said when he and his brother walked in.

  “Hey, Travis. Can’t you keep a wife?” Reno said.

  KC slapped the back of Reno’s head.

  “What?” Reno rubbed the spot. “What’d I say?”

  “God, help me with clueless men,” she replied. “Would you two take all those presents in the dining room and load them into the back of my SUV?”

  “Don’t I even get to say hi before you put them to work?” Travis asked with a smile he’d forced on his face. A smile he didn’t feel anywhere in his soul.