“I don’t think you’ll find anyone in this town who would disagree with you there.”
“Well, thanks for the paperwork. I’ll get it to Clay right away.”
After a few more parting words, Sophie made her way out of the bank to her car and headed back to the ranch. As she drove, she contemplated Maverick. She couldn’t understand anyone who had so much hatred that they’d try to bring down every business in Royal. But she wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore. Clay had overcome the crisis directed at his company; plus, she would be leaving next week.
She’d made quite a few friends here over the past five years and while she didn’t want to tell people she was leaving for fear of being asked why, she would miss them nonetheless. She hoped their friendship could continue on a long-distance basis.
Once she parked her car in her assigned space, she grabbed the envelope in her purse and hurried inside. Clay’s door was closed, which was unusual unless something was very wrong, but she certainly would respect his privacy. Before she could speculate further, her own phone began to ring. Grabbing the cell phone from her purse, she saw that it was a text from Clay telling her to please return to his office as soon as possible.
Was it possible that Clay had made a decision? Had he finally decided he wanted to be the baby’s father and a true husband to her? Could he have meant it when he’d ask her to marry him? They way he’d said he wanted to take care of her and their baby made it sound like the marriage offer was responsibility talking. Not love. Not a desire to be with her. Had she been wrong? Hope filled her heart as she walked to the closed door. Maybe he would even forgive her when he found out about her past. It hit her with the velocity of a freight train that there was nothing she wanted more. With those thoughts in mind, she knocked twice on Clay’s office door, then she opened it as she had done for years and stepped inside. Only this time Clay wasn’t by himself. Behind his desk—on his lap—was a beautiful blonde woman, her long hair touching her waist as she laughed at something that had just been said. After the initial shock, Sophie couldn’t help but notice the woman sat straddling Clay’s lap, her short skirt riding up almost to her panty line. Clay’s hands were around her waist and his face was covered in lipstick. Sophie could feel the blood drain from her face as she mumbled an apology and backed out of the room.
She knew the woman. She was one of Clay’s mistresses before he had his accident, before he’d become engaged. Carla. Her name was Carla something.
Tears stung Sophie’s eyes as she stumbled over the legs of her chair. Apparently, he couldn’t even wait until she’d left to carry on with his numerous affairs. It smacked of arrogance and the disdain he apparently had for her and their unborn child. After she’d grabbed her purse from under the desk, she ran for the outside door. But when she got inside her car, the engine wouldn’t start. Numbed, she looked around hoping a solution would fall into her lap. It did. Jesse May Holbrook came through the gate that connected the estate grounds with the barn and surrounding paddock areas. She didn’t know Jesse very well. Clay had just hired her as a trainer and ranch hand at the Flying E. Sophie couldn’t see for the tears running down her face, but she got out of the car and ran toward Jesse with sheer desperation urging her on.
“Sophie? What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Your truck. May I please borrow your truck?”
“Sure.” Frowning, Jesse pushed her hand down deep inside her jeans pocket and pulled out a key fob with several keys. Selecting one, she handed it to Sophie and pointed. “It’s the green Dodge over there. Is there anything I can do?”
“No. This is good enough. I’ll arrange to have it back to you as fast as I possibly can.” With that she ran for the green pickup. What a total and complete fool she had been.
As she pulled out of the parking lot, she saw Clay running around the corner of the building toward her and she floored it, almost spinning out of control. The last thing she needed or wanted were a bunch of excuses from Clay. I didn’t know she would be here. It didn’t mean anything. The hell it didn’t. It meant everything. This wasn’t some surprise birthday party full of strippers and gags. It was real. And the sooner she got away from here, the better.
How she made it to the small cottage, she would never know. It was pure luck that she didn’t rear-end someone or get broadsided. If there were red lights, she never saw them. Stop signs didn’t exist. All she had was one single thought: How could he do this to her? Over the years she’d thought a lot of things both good and bad about him. His past had made him hard, moody and arrogant, but never cruel. At least never to her. Their time together flashed through her mind. The bond they’d formed when he’d struggled to overcome his injuries. The camaraderie in the new office. Watching the new foals. Long horseback rides in the wild country where she always felt safe with Clay near her. More recently, the romantic interludes where she had melted into his strong, powerful arms. The feeling he’d given her that she was the only woman in the world for him. The realization that they had creat
ed a new life. Had it all been a ruse? Had it all been a dream? Surely he wouldn’t have gone to the trouble just to take her to his bed, especially when he could have practically any woman he wanted and with a lot less effort.
Once she’d arrived at the cottage, she lost no time throwing things into a suitcase. What she didn’t take with her today she could always send for.
She grabbed her cell and punched the number for her landlord, Whit Daltry.
“Whit? This is Sophie.”
“Hey there. How’s it going?”
“Actually, not so good.” It took a few minutes to explain about her father’s illness, having to stop periodically and restrain her emotions.
“I’ve got to go home. I can arrange for you to receive the remaining rent. I think there are about four months left on the lease.”
“Forget it, Sophie. Don’t give it another thought. You do what you have to do. Family comes first.”
His words brought the tears to her eyes once again. He really was such a nice man. It was too bad Clay couldn’t be more like him.
“Good luck to you, Sophie. Look, I’m going to hold the cottage for a couple of months in case things work out and you want to come back.”
“I won’t be coming back, Whit. But thanks for the offer.”
“Not my business, but does Clay know?”
“Yeah. I just told him.”
And he told me. Loud and clear.
* * *
The look on Sophie’s face when she’d stepped into his office was something that would haunt Clay for the rest of his life. He pushed Carla Maxwell off his lap and stood up, not really caring if she made it to her feet or fell on the floor. She actually had the audacity to look shocked that he had pushed out of her arms.