was the type to feel embarrassment at the slightest revealed feeling. He might treat her like a leper because she’d been the one to witness the inner workings of Gary Tarleton, unsociable tycoon extraordinaire.
But as always, all it took was one rolling word from his soothing voice and the touch of his hand brushing her elbow, and she felt completely at home in the world. It was odd how someone so seemingly reticent had that effect on people, on her.
Gary placed his hand protectively on Hayely’s shoulder as she walked up the porch steps. She’d lost track of how many times he’d come close to walking back into her room that night. To apologize? To see if she would have let him kiss her? She didn’t know. His hand had been on that doorknob a hundred times, but he’d turned around and walked away just one time more than that.
The possibility of creating a stable family for real had just never seemed in the cards for him, had it? She guessed there’d been too many women with ulterior motives, no one who could draw him away from the office.
Hayely looked skeptically up at Gary. He’d fallen into one of his long silences on the way into the house, and she was too scared of his answer to offer a penny for his thoughts.
“Where should we go today?” he asked.
“Go?” she asked as he turned and headed for the front of the house instead.
“No time like the present for getting those rumors flying. If we start today, we’ll have a good bit of gossip coverage before the Chamber of Commerce banquet on Wednesday night.”
“What banquet is that?” She ran to catch him.
“I’ve had a dozen different invitations from women to the banquet already and here I am, married to the only one who has never even heard of it.”
“Life’s funny, ain’t it?” she asked.
“The banquet is the biggest event this spring. Maybe all year even. The annual awards ceremony is always held at it, and just about every major business in the state sends someone to attend.”
“Is it very formal?” Hayely had left her evening gowns in a box somewhere in the back of her parents’ garage. She’d never imagined she might have a use for them anytime soon.
“Fairly.” He was glad he’d parked in the driveway last time instead of pulling into the garage.
“Gary, I don’t have anything to wear. I don’t want people to see you with me looking like I’ve dressed out of a thrift store.” She felt tears threaten to sting her eyes. Why on earth had she let Kathy’s cruel words bother her so? Days later, they still hurt.
Gary was thoroughly taken aback by her reaction. “Hey. What’s that look for? Seems to me we’ve just found our excuse to go out on the town. I think a few boutiques are probably open on Sunday.”
Hayely wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. “I’d love to go shopping. Can I get shoes, too?”
Gary laughed outright. “I’m sure you have fifty pairs in your closet and none of them will do.” He held open the door to his big truck for her and watched as she climbed high up inside.
“You have a truck,” she stated flatly as he shut the driver’s side door.
“Yes.”
“Why?” she asked.
“Why? It’s a long walk to work.”
She smiled in spite of herself. “I mean most people with a house like yours would be trying to prove something. I imagined a garage littered with Ferraris and Porches.”
“I never understood those pretentious types either. You know, the types who run out and buy useless, expensive watches.”
His sense of humor charmed her. “My father probably has a fraction of the money you do and he drives a Rolls Royce. But he wouldn’t spend that much money on a watch I don’t think.”
“If he’s that well off, why couldn’t you have just called him and asked for a loan when you stepped on my watch?” He shrugged and adjusted the rearview mirror.
“My father is convinced I need to do one specific thing and be with one specific kind of man. I can’t stand the men
But as always, all it took was one rolling word from his soothing voice and the touch of his hand brushing her elbow, and she felt completely at home in the world. It was odd how someone so seemingly reticent had that effect on people, on her.
Gary placed his hand protectively on Hayely’s shoulder as she walked up the porch steps. She’d lost track of how many times he’d come close to walking back into her room that night. To apologize? To see if she would have let him kiss her? She didn’t know. His hand had been on that doorknob a hundred times, but he’d turned around and walked away just one time more than that.
The possibility of creating a stable family for real had just never seemed in the cards for him, had it? She guessed there’d been too many women with ulterior motives, no one who could draw him away from the office.
Hayely looked skeptically up at Gary. He’d fallen into one of his long silences on the way into the house, and she was too scared of his answer to offer a penny for his thoughts.
“Where should we go today?” he asked.
“Go?” she asked as he turned and headed for the front of the house instead.
“No time like the present for getting those rumors flying. If we start today, we’ll have a good bit of gossip coverage before the Chamber of Commerce banquet on Wednesday night.”
“What banquet is that?” She ran to catch him.
“I’ve had a dozen different invitations from women to the banquet already and here I am, married to the only one who has never even heard of it.”
“Life’s funny, ain’t it?” she asked.
“The banquet is the biggest event this spring. Maybe all year even. The annual awards ceremony is always held at it, and just about every major business in the state sends someone to attend.”
“Is it very formal?” Hayely had left her evening gowns in a box somewhere in the back of her parents’ garage. She’d never imagined she might have a use for them anytime soon.
“Fairly.” He was glad he’d parked in the driveway last time instead of pulling into the garage.
“Gary, I don’t have anything to wear. I don’t want people to see you with me looking like I’ve dressed out of a thrift store.” She felt tears threaten to sting her eyes. Why on earth had she let Kathy’s cruel words bother her so? Days later, they still hurt.
Gary was thoroughly taken aback by her reaction. “Hey. What’s that look for? Seems to me we’ve just found our excuse to go out on the town. I think a few boutiques are probably open on Sunday.”
Hayely wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. “I’d love to go shopping. Can I get shoes, too?”
Gary laughed outright. “I’m sure you have fifty pairs in your closet and none of them will do.” He held open the door to his big truck for her and watched as she climbed high up inside.
“You have a truck,” she stated flatly as he shut the driver’s side door.
“Yes.”
“Why?” she asked.
“Why? It’s a long walk to work.”
She smiled in spite of herself. “I mean most people with a house like yours would be trying to prove something. I imagined a garage littered with Ferraris and Porches.”
“I never understood those pretentious types either. You know, the types who run out and buy useless, expensive watches.”
His sense of humor charmed her. “My father probably has a fraction of the money you do and he drives a Rolls Royce. But he wouldn’t spend that much money on a watch I don’t think.”
“If he’s that well off, why couldn’t you have just called him and asked for a loan when you stepped on my watch?” He shrugged and adjusted the rearview mirror.
“My father is convinced I need to do one specific thing and be with one specific kind of man. I can’t stand the men
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