swallowed. “It’s not… That is, I’ve never had a contract come through with this type of… clause.”
“What do you mean? It’s a standard buy and sale contract, isn’t it?” Alex asked.
Tucker turned to her and smiled . “Well, it’s an excellent way for you to make sure you have some control in what happens to the ranch. I just don’t know how we can go about legalizing the second contract. Other than the conventional way of course, but it would almost need to be two separate matters. Not lumped together. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Confused and not a little annoyed, Alex frowned. “No, I have no idea what you are saying, Tuck .”
“Marriage is its own contract all together. You really can’t mix one with the other. That would need to be done first, and then the original c ontract signed to make it legal; with your new name, of course. That way there wouldn’t b e any questions. ”
“What are you talking about?” Alex asked, dumbfounded.
“He means, our wedding should take place before your mother and I sign the contract.” Lane spoke easily. “I agree.”
Alex stared at Lane without blinking. He wanted to grin at her stupefied gape , but thought better. The silence hung for nearly two minutes without either Alex or Lane breaking eye contact. Tucker finally cleared his throat.
“Are you crazy?” Alex finally said and turned to leave without giving him the chance to answer.
“Do you have the mar riage license with you, Tucker ?” Linda asked.
Alex spun around. Her face was live wit h fury. “You were in on this?” s he asked her mother. “Of course you were.”
“It’s a perfectly respectable offer, Alex.”
“Respectable?” Alex fumed. She turned to Lane. “What the hell have you told her?” she demanded. “Why are you doing this? Isn’t the ranch enough? You have to come here take my home and insult me while you do it?”
Lane waited calmly while Alex let out her frustration. She looked amazing, he mused. Her long, dark hair swung as she paced the room like a livid tiger on the prowl. Her bright eyes weren’t wide and innocent , but darkened to sapphire from anger. Again, he found himself suppressing a smile.
“To answer your first question. No, I’m not crazy. I’m doing this because I see something I want and I take it, which is exactly what I told your mother. The ranch isn’t enough. And I’m not trying to insult you in the least .”
Her chest rose and fell in quick jerks as she struggled to get herself under control. She literally could not believe what she was hearing. Marriage?
“I’m sorry you wasted your time today, Tuck . You can bill us for it.” With that, she turned and stalked out of the den.
“Well, that went well.” Linda snorted and leaned back in her wheelchair .
“You mean she didn’t know about this?” Tucker ’s mouth dropped.
“No . And she doesn’t have a choice, ” Linda snapped. “We’ll have a preacher here within the week,” s he said to Lane.
“Wait a minute.” Tucker sat down again and cleared his throat . His confusion and distress was evident on his pinched face. “You can’t force Alex to marry. You just can’t.”
“This is the only offer she’s ever going to get. Why wouldn’t she take it?”
“If you’re saying that because of what happened with Sam Brewster, that’s ridiculous, Linda. She was a kid. ”
“I’ll give you a call when Ale x gets over her little tiff, ” Linda said primly. “Thank you for coming today, Tucker.”
“Linda.” Tucker sighed her name then ran a hand through his sleek cap of blond hair. “Think about Alex.”
“Have a good day, Mr. Cole.”
On a muttered oath, Tucker picked up his briefcase and strolled out of the room. Lane rose from his seat and followed Tucker out the door.
“Mr. Cole. I’d like a word with you please.”
Tucker turned around before he reached the front door.
“I’d like you to know,” Lane began, “that I don’t
“What do you mean? It’s a standard buy and sale contract, isn’t it?” Alex asked.
Tucker turned to her and smiled . “Well, it’s an excellent way for you to make sure you have some control in what happens to the ranch. I just don’t know how we can go about legalizing the second contract. Other than the conventional way of course, but it would almost need to be two separate matters. Not lumped together. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Confused and not a little annoyed, Alex frowned. “No, I have no idea what you are saying, Tuck .”
“Marriage is its own contract all together. You really can’t mix one with the other. That would need to be done first, and then the original c ontract signed to make it legal; with your new name, of course. That way there wouldn’t b e any questions. ”
“What are you talking about?” Alex asked, dumbfounded.
“He means, our wedding should take place before your mother and I sign the contract.” Lane spoke easily. “I agree.”
Alex stared at Lane without blinking. He wanted to grin at her stupefied gape , but thought better. The silence hung for nearly two minutes without either Alex or Lane breaking eye contact. Tucker finally cleared his throat.
“Are you crazy?” Alex finally said and turned to leave without giving him the chance to answer.
“Do you have the mar riage license with you, Tucker ?” Linda asked.
Alex spun around. Her face was live wit h fury. “You were in on this?” s he asked her mother. “Of course you were.”
“It’s a perfectly respectable offer, Alex.”
“Respectable?” Alex fumed. She turned to Lane. “What the hell have you told her?” she demanded. “Why are you doing this? Isn’t the ranch enough? You have to come here take my home and insult me while you do it?”
Lane waited calmly while Alex let out her frustration. She looked amazing, he mused. Her long, dark hair swung as she paced the room like a livid tiger on the prowl. Her bright eyes weren’t wide and innocent , but darkened to sapphire from anger. Again, he found himself suppressing a smile.
“To answer your first question. No, I’m not crazy. I’m doing this because I see something I want and I take it, which is exactly what I told your mother. The ranch isn’t enough. And I’m not trying to insult you in the least .”
Her chest rose and fell in quick jerks as she struggled to get herself under control. She literally could not believe what she was hearing. Marriage?
“I’m sorry you wasted your time today, Tuck . You can bill us for it.” With that, she turned and stalked out of the den.
“Well, that went well.” Linda snorted and leaned back in her wheelchair .
“You mean she didn’t know about this?” Tucker ’s mouth dropped.
“No . And she doesn’t have a choice, ” Linda snapped. “We’ll have a preacher here within the week,” s he said to Lane.
“Wait a minute.” Tucker sat down again and cleared his throat . His confusion and distress was evident on his pinched face. “You can’t force Alex to marry. You just can’t.”
“This is the only offer she’s ever going to get. Why wouldn’t she take it?”
“If you’re saying that because of what happened with Sam Brewster, that’s ridiculous, Linda. She was a kid. ”
“I’ll give you a call when Ale x gets over her little tiff, ” Linda said primly. “Thank you for coming today, Tucker.”
“Linda.” Tucker sighed her name then ran a hand through his sleek cap of blond hair. “Think about Alex.”
“Have a good day, Mr. Cole.”
On a muttered oath, Tucker picked up his briefcase and strolled out of the room. Lane rose from his seat and followed Tucker out the door.
“Mr. Cole. I’d like a word with you please.”
Tucker turned around before he reached the front door.
“I’d like you to know,” Lane began, “that I don’t
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