Joan Hohl - A Man Apart

“Neither do I,” she said, removing the jar from the fridge.

Other than the odd remark here and there about the food, they ate in silence, each into their own thoughts. Feeling edgy, Hannah saw him raise a brow when she glanced at the clock for the third time. But he didn’t comment on it…until after he had his coffee and she her tea.

“I think you should take the day off,” Justin said, his voice laced with determination.

“I already told you I wouldn’t do that,” she retorted, her voice equally determined.

“We need to talk.” Now his eyes were cold as gray ice.

Getting up, Hannah carried her barely touched tea to the sink, dumped it and rinsed it before replying. “No we don’t. I need to leave for work.” She walked from the room to the coat closet. “And you need to drive to Baltimore.” She pulled on her coat and grabbed her purse.

“Dammit, Hannah,” Justin said, his tone bordering on a shout. “Listen to me.” He reached out to take her arm, to prevent her from walking out the door she’d opened.

Her nerves and emotions raw, her mind screaming at her to get away before she succumbed to agreeing to be one of his now-and-then women, Hannah avoided his hand as she spun around to confront him. “I won’t listen to you, Justin.” She was hurting, and wanting to hurt him back, if that was possible, she lashed out at him. “I have to thank you for giving me so much please,” she said sarcastically. “But it’s over now. You belong in Montana, and I belong here. Whether or not Adam sends you back here, I don’t want to see you again.”

“Hannah, you don’t meant that.” He sounded genuinely shocked. “You can’t mean it.”

“I do mean it,” she insisted, fighting tears and a desire to punch him…hard, for hurting her so much. “I’ve got to go now.” She backed out through the doorway. “I’d appreciate it if you would lock the door as you leave.” With that last parting shot, she slammed the door on his stunned face.

Justin was mad. He was more than mad, he was furious. He just couldn’t decide who he was more furious with, Hannah for cutting him dead, or himself for getting too deeply involved with her in the first place.

Dammit, who needed her, anyway? Certainly not him. The last thing he needed was a haughty, overly independent woman. Hell, there were plenty of warm, eager and willing women out there.

Justin repeated the assurance to himself all the way back to Montana and throughout the following three weeks. He repeated it to himself while he was working, when conferring about the horse farm in Pennsylvania they had decided to invest in, but mostly when he prowled the house at night, unable to sleep for thinking about her, aching for Hannah.

Why the hell had he been so stupid as to fall in love with her? Why had he allowed himself to fall for the Hannah that was not always cold and haughty, but sweet and hot, a tiger in his arms.

Justin knew when he was beaten. To his amazement it didn’t even bother him that he’d finally fallen in love-real love. He decided he’d have to do something about it, something more than he had originally planned on back in February.

Going to the phone, Justin placed a call to Adam, his fingers tapping an impatient drumbeat as he waited for his brother to come on the line.

“What’s up?” Adam said.

“We need a family meeting about this horse farm in Oley, Pennsylvania.”

“Wait a minute, we’ve already bought the property,” Adam said. “And it was your idea to begin with. Don’t tell me you changed your mind and want us to back out of the deal when we’re just days away from settling it.”

“No, no, I haven’t changed my mind about the property,” Justin reassured him, “only about who we send east to manage the farm.”

“Not Ben?” Adam sounded shocked.

“Not Ben,” Justin concurred. “I know for a fact that Ben really doesn’t want to relocate and that Karla doesn’t want to move so far from her family.”

“Then who the hell do you have in mind?” Adam demanded. “One of the men on the ranch?” Before Justin could get a word in, Adam added, “Is there another one of the men capable of running a Thoroughbred farm?”

“Yeah. One,” Justin drawled, thinking the answer should be obvious to Adam, of all people.

“Who?” Adam snapped impatiently.

“Yours truly, brother mine,” Justin said, grinning when he heard Adam sigh.

“I’ll call a meeting,” Adam said. “Of course, Beth will send her proxy, as usual.”

Justin was now chuckling. “To me, as usual.”

“Goodbye, Justin.” Adam hung up.

Justin laughed out loud, inwardly praying for success in the East Coast endeavor. Not with the farm-Justin felt confident he could succeed with that. Hell, without conceit he knew he was nearly a damn genius when it came to horses. No, the challenge was convincing Hannah that he was the man for her. His plan had to work; he’d make it work…somehow.

It was the middle of March. The days were growing milder. Instead of taking the bus as she usually did, Hannah had begun walking the two-plus miles back and forth from her apartment to her office. The exercise and fresh air were good for her.

Without conscious thought, Hannah’s hand slid down in a protective gesture over the small rounded mound of her growing belly. Her pregnancy had been confirmed by her doctor. Her due date was in mid-October; another season, another life.

A thrill shot through Hannah at the thought of the tiny person awakening inside her body. She hadn’t felt any movement from her baby yet, but she knew it would not be long before she did.

Hannah had told Jocelyn the day after she had seen the doctor. Over a month ago.

“Does the father know?” her assistant asked, her expression a mixture of stunned delight.

“No,” Hannah admitted, shaking her head. “I don’t think he’d want to know.”

“Not want to know?” Jocelyn said indignantly. “What kind of a user is the son-”

“Jocelyn,” Hannah interrupted her, unwilling to hear her curse Justin. “I knew what I was getting into. What Justin and I had was just a fling.” She managed a wry smile. “One might say a close encounter of the sexual kind. He never asked for anything more and I expect nothing from him. This is my baby. I’ll take care of it.”

“And I’ll be right beside you,” Jocelyn said staunchly, giving Hannah a reassuring hug.

Although Hannah had taken full responsibility for her pregnancy, she still had nagging doubts about not telling Justin. Not to seek financial support for his child-she didn’t need his money. She just felt that he had every right to know he was to become a father.

Justin loved children. He would make a good father…if he cared to do so. That was the dilemma Hannah was feeling.

Arriving home refreshed from the brisk walk, Hannah kicked off her shoes and went straight to the phone. She had to tell him, she’d never be able to live with herself if she didn’t.

After getting his ranch’s number from information, she punched it in and forced herself to breathe normally. It was difficult, especially with the phone continuing to ring. Finally, when she was about ready to hang up, an unfamiliar voice answered.

“Yes, is Justin there, please?” she asked, wondering why Karla hadn’t answered.

“No, he isn’t,” came the brisk reply. “Would you like to leave a message?”

Declining the offer, Hannah pressed the disconnect button, then stood staring at the instrument in her hand, unsure what to do next. Blinking against a sting of tears, she hung up the phone just as the doorbell rang.

Doorbell? Her doorbell never rang without her being notified by the security guard in the lobby.