One Christmas Night, page 4
He saw Jayden’s name and tapped his screen. Ryan put the call on the speaker as the gate slowly slid open to give him access.
“Hey.”
“Bad time?”
“No,” Ryan replied.
“I just called to vent. You sure you’re not busy?”
“Let me guess. Heath Thurston?”
“Damn straight,” Jayden confirmed.
Ryan’s best friend had always been a go-with-the-flow type of guy and never let anything rattle him. But this nonsense about Heath’s claim of oil beneath the Lattimore and Grandin ranches had turned the entire town of Royal upside down and had everyone questioning everything they’d known.
Was it any wonder Jayden Lattimore was so upset? The idea of someone digging beneath a ranch that had sat for decades untouched wouldn’t sit well with anyone.
“I’m just damn thankful the surveyor didn’t find any oil beneath the estates,” Jayden stated. “But Heath is still a pain in my ass.”
Ryan pulled up next to the stables instead of going on back to the barn. He needed to unwind and a nice, long ride might do the trick.
“Heath was looking for what he thought was a serious payout with oil,” Jayden went on. “Who knows what he’ll do now that he is losing ground with his claims.”
“He really needs to end this,” Ryan grunted.
“Agreed. Nolan says Heath’s heart is in the right place, but I don’t see how. I’ll never understand how those two can be twins and be polar opposites.”
According to Jayden and Vic, Cynthia, the mother of Nolan and Heath, had oil rights deeded to her by the Grandins and Lattimores. Supposedly the oil sat beneath the two largest ranches in Royal—owned by the wealthiest families. Upon her death, the deed would have gone to her daughter Ashley, if she’d lived. Now it was with the Thurston boys, and Heath had been hell-bent on staking his claim since he’d found the papers in his mother’s effects.
All that did was cause an uproar for the past several months. Having the Lattimores and the Grandins as enemies wasn’t the smartest move, but Heath didn’t seem to mind. Clearly he had his eyes on the prize—the oil.
Ryan killed his engine and rested his arm on his console. “How are things going with Zanai?”
“She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
A stirring of something akin to jealousy coursed through him. Where the hell had that come from? Jayden and Zanai were in love. That wasn’t an area Ryan ever wanted to venture into again. To open up and be exposed to such vulnerability seemed like a nightmare. Ryan was happy for his friend, though, and wouldn’t say anything to degrade what he’d found.
“So, how is your love life?” Jayden asked. “Anything to report?”
No way would he be getting into this, especially now that Morgan carried his child.
And that was just another area he and Morgan need to discuss. When and how would they tell people? Time was not on their side and a baby clearly couldn’t be hidden away forever. They couldn’t even hide their secret a few months.
“Nothing to share,” Ryan told his friend.
“Is that right? Well, I guess you’ll tell me when you’re ready.”
Ryan didn’t want to say anything more and give Jayden clues to what happened immediately following the Masquerade Ball.
“I’ll let you go,” Jayden told him. “I assume I’ll see you at the Christmas party, right?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
Ryan disconnected the call.
The Christmas party at the Cattleman’s Club was always the biggest event of the season. Now Ryan had to decide if he wanted to show up alone or if Morgan would be on his arm. If she went with him, everyone would know the status of their relationship had changed.
Clearly everything hinged on what Morgan decided she’d do as far as they were concerned. And that was where he came in. He owed her an apology for not asking about her health, he owed her an apology for assuming she’d just drop everything and be thankful for his proposal, and he needed to figure out how the hell to get her to marry him.
Damn it. Apologizing wasn’t something he’d ever had to do with her. They’d run into each other at various events or restaurants, get into a quarrel, and go on about their way. Odd, but that was just their thing.
Apologizing would be a big move in this new path with their relationship.
Ryan stepped from his truck and headed toward the stable. He hadn’t ridden Midnight in some time and his oldest, dearest horse was just what he needed to get a clearer picture of his future...and his potential bride.
* * *
Morgan scooted the raw edge table from the front of her store toward the middle. She had piles of clothes stacked all around the perimeter of the showroom and had rearranged twice already. She was tired, irritable, and she had a mess on her hands that needed to be put back together before she opened in the morning.
Right now she either wanted to call in Kylie for emergency help or sit in the middle of this pile of accessories and shoes and cry. She didn’t even know which thing she’d be crying about, so maybe just a good blanket cry to get everything out would be best. Then she could be done and move on stronger than ever.
She really should have waited on Kylie to help her, but Morgan had needed to get some of her frustrations out. Her business she could control, so she’d always used this passion as her outlet.
Morgan stared at the table placement and hated this spot, too. She should just burn the thing and start from scratch. Maybe she needed to hire a designer to come in and have a nice renovation. Hell, while she was at it, she should change the name of the store. The Rancher’s Daughter seemed so...simple.
Morgan blew out a sigh and rubbed her hands over her face. She couldn’t very well change everything all at once. She was just irritated and scared as hell that her life was out of control right now. She was grasping at anything that was within her power to maneuver or change.
She hated feeling like she had no say-so in the path her life was heading down. But she couldn’t go all crazy with every other part of her life, either. Now that Ryan knew the truth, she really should confide in Zanai. Her best friend would be supportive and just the shoulder Morgan needed to lean on right now.
Aside from the pregnancy, there was still a heavy dose of confusion. She couldn’t keep up with going from bickering to ripping clothes off to pregnancy. No wonder she felt on the verge of a meltdown.
When Ryan left earlier, Morgan thought of little else other than that kiss. He’d purposely put that sexual thought in her head and he knew what he was doing. She wasn’t going to lose control again...not with him.
Morgan’s cell chimed and she turned, trying to remember where she’d set it in this disaster. The sound echoed again and she found the device beneath a stack of boot socks on her checkout counter. She really might need to call in Zanai or Kylie for reinforcements.
She answered her cell without looking at the caller.
“Hello,” she greeted as she walked back toward the empty table.
“Are you busy?”
Ryan’s low, sexy drawl stopped her.
“I’m still at the shop.”
“At this hour?”
Morgan walked to her large, round ottoman where she’d shoved it near the dressing rooms and took a seat. She toed off her boots and figured she might as well get comfortable.
“I have a lot to do,” she explained. “I don’t just open and close. I have to restock, reorganize, change displays. Kylie is a great employee, but there’s only so much she can do and at the end of the day, this business is my life.”
“You need to hire more help,” he suggested.
She had every intention of doing just that so she could alleviate some of the pressure and stress during her pregnancy, but he didn’t need to know her plans.
“I’m not telling you how to run your ranch, so don’t tell me how to run my store.”
She crossed her legs up onto the ottoman and wiggled her toes. She would sit just a moment and then get back to straightening up her disaster.
“Did you call to give me business advice or did you need something?” she asked.
“I called to see if you wanted to come by the ranch tomorrow for dinner when you were done working.”
Morgan jerked back as his question caught her off guard. “I’m not dating you, Ryan. I’m having your child.”
“So we’re working backwards. It’s just dinner, Morgan. You have to eat and my chef will prepare something amazing.”
“Ryan. I’m not coming to your ranch for dinner or as your wife and right now, I’m too tired for another argument. I need to work.”
She disconnected the call and wondered if she sounded ungrateful or rude. She didn’t mean to be either, but she didn’t want to give him false hope, either. Other than really great sex and a baby, they had no common ground. Couldn’t he see that she only meant to save them both from heartache down the road?
Morgan shot off a quick text telling him she’d made a doctor’s appointment if he’d like to join her next week. The baby was all they could have in common and she had no intention of shutting him out of that part of her life.
She set her phone on the ottoman and came to her feet. Stretching her arms and back, she pulled in a deep breath and glanced around to decide where to start. Things might not be perfect, but she had to get this store back in some type of order.
Her stomach growled as she headed toward her stack of V-neck tees. Ryan had mentioned dinner and she realized she hadn’t eaten anything since lunch. Maybe she had a granola bar in her purse. She seriously needed to stay on top of consistent meals for the baby. Everything about her life would be geared toward her child from here on out.
She decided to leave the table right there for now and started folding and displaying her variety of tees. She could add the boot socks in a nice wire basket in the middle and put up some signage about her Christmas sale starting tomorrow.
After nearly an hour, that part was done. Now for the rest of the store.
Morgan turned to grab another stack of tees and jumped at the man looking through her front windows. No, not any man. Ryan.
Of course he decided to show up after hours...again.
Morgan stepped over her various piles and signs and around racks to make her way to the front door. She flicked the lock and had a déjà vu moment from a few hours earlier.
“I do have open hours, you know.”
“I never asked how you were feeling,” he said. “Earlier, I mean. I didn’t check on you. I can admit when I was being a jerk.”
Ryan smiled, and her heart skipped. Great. This was not what she needed right now. She barely had time for a bathroom break, let alone teen-level giddiness. Besides, she wasn’t used to this unexpected wave of emotions. Before, Ryan only got her blood pressure up. Now he stirred her arousal.
He held up a bag and ushered his way inside. “I brought food.”
The aroma wafting by as he moved inside had her stomach growling again and she totally forgave him for earlier. Morgan closed and locked the door then turned to face him. He’d stilled as he glanced around the chaotic area.
“You not only fight with me, you get into it with your clothes, too?”
“You’re hilarious. I’m rearranging and it’s gotten out of control.” She crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her head. “How did you know I was hungry?”
Ryan shrugged. “I didn’t know, but when you said you were still here, I assumed you hadn’t gone out for food.”
“You would assume right.” She started to reach for the bag. “Thanks for bringing me something.”
He handed over the food and propped his hands on his narrow hips. Nobody should look that good in a pair of jeans, worn boots and a plain black T-shirt, yet here he was conjuring up way too many unwelcome feelings. She shouldn’t want him when she’d already had him, right?
Except that was the problem. She knew just how good they were together and her lips still tingled from their earlier encounter.
“Don’t you have a worker who can help?” he asked.
Morgan nodded. “Kylie. She was off today and then texted about twenty minutes ago to say she has to take care of her grandmother for the next few days.”
He glanced around once again as if trying to decide to run or stay. Honestly, she loved her job, loved being hands-on in the business she’d built from the ground up. Yes, there were times like this when exhaustion settled in, but that was just part of any job. Had she worked the ranch life like the rest of her family, that would be no different. At least she’d gone into her dream field, so most days didn’t even seem like work.
“Where do you need me?” he asked.
Morgan blinked and clutched the paper bag at her side. “Excuse me?”
He glanced around again and laughed. “You obviously need help, so point me in the right direction. Be warned, though, I know nothing about fashion.”
He knew enough to know not to mess with a good thing. Casual clothes were clearly his sexy staple and all she’d ever seen him in. Even at the masquerade party, he’d had on that same outfit, but he’d put a black blazer on to match his hat. No suit, no dress pants or dress shirt...just typical Ryan Carter attire. The man made no apologies for who or what he was—and maybe that was just another reason why he was so damn appealing.
Arguing and walking away was so much easier than trying to figure out this constant pull toward him.
“I don’t need help,” she told him.
Ryan slid his palm over his stubbled jawline and held her stare. “You’re still going to try to be stubborn in the middle of this mess when it’s nearly nine o’clock?”
Morgan didn’t say anything. Instead, she took the sack to her counter and opened it to see what he’d brought her. A chicken sandwich and some fruit. Her stomach grumbled again.
“Thank you for this.” She took a seat on her small stool and pulled out her meal. “Time got away from me and I didn’t plan on being here this late.”
“Did you plan on turning your store inside out?”
She shook her head as she grabbed a fresh strawberry. “I didn’t plan on that, either.”
Morgan attempted to eat without looking like something from National Geographic. She tore into that sandwich and had it gone in record time, though. She also tried not to keep staring at the man who was wandering around looking at clothes, hardware, tables and the rest of the disaster. It was the second time he’d been in her personal space like this and he just seemed so...imposing.
Having him here in her little world was much too intimate and she honestly didn’t know if that excited or irritated her.
Those broad shoulders and rough boots were so out of place. Even in the haphazard area of her normally posh and polished boutique, Ryan Carter had a commanding presence.
“So, what are we moving around?” he asked, turning back to face her.
“We?”
He propped his hands on those narrow hips and she had to fight not to remember how easily she’d wrapped her legs around them.
Focus, Morgan.
“You can argue all you want about being independent, but I’m going to help you tonight. You might as well tell me where you want things or I’ll do it myself.” He picked up one of the mannequins from the floor and held it up. “What size is she? I’ll find something for her to wear.”
Morgan couldn’t help but laugh. He looked so absurd, but he was dead serious. He wasn’t going anywhere and she needed the reinforcements. Nothing wrong with admitting that on occasion.
“Fine. You can help, but you are not choosing outfits or everything would have on a plain T-shirt and jeans.”
A corner of his mouth kicked up. “Nothing wrong with that, darlin’.”
Ugh. Why did he have to be so Southern and sexy? And why did she have to be pregnant with his child? Of all the men in the area that she could have had a fling with, she’d opted for Ryan Carter.
Thanks, champagne.
Once she finished eating, she came around the counter and thought about how she really wanted things. Since she had an extra pair of hands, she might as well take advantage.
She just had to remember that was all she should be taking advantage of from this man.
Five
Ryan waited for Morgan to decide what she wanted done. He watched as she walked around muttering to herself. Something about Christmas dresses and a sale.
Just as she pivoted back toward him, Morgan’s foot got tangled in a pile of denim and she fell forward. Ryan reached for her, just as she fell. She landed against his chest, her hands gripping onto his biceps as that mass of red hair curled all around them both.
He recalled another situation where all of that hair covered him, but this was not the time or the place to start replaying that moment. Unfortunately for him, he never could get control over when or where those delicious memories popped up.
“You okay?” he asked.
Ryan shifted so he could maneuver them both away from the piles on the floor. Morgan straightened herself. Shoving her hair from her face, she gave him a curt nod.
“Sorry about that.”
Her eyes were everywhere but on him again. They’d created a child and she couldn’t even look at him? She’d had no problem in the past going toe-to-toe with him, and this sudden change in Morgan confused the hell out of him.
“Morgan.”
Her eyes darted up to his now and he closed that minuscule distance between them.
“We’re not swiping at each other and we’re not lovers. Let’s find something in between. We can handle this situation together, but you’ve got to relax.”
