Elizabeth August - Marrying O'malley

“I don’t think your husband would like that,” Wolf replied. “Jack and I never did get along.”

Janice gave her hair a playful flip. “Jack is ancient history.” Her smile became enticing. “I’ve come to take you to dinner. Mother hired some fancy French chef and let me have Caroline. You always loved Caroline’s cooking. She’ll make something delicious and we can eat by candlelight on the patio. Then you can decide if you want to stay here or remain with me.” She ran her fingers along his jawline. “We should never have quarreled. I only married Jack because I was so angry with you. I never stopped thinking about you.”

Capturing her arms before she could wrap them around his neck, Wolf took a step back, putting distance between them. “As tempting as your invitation is, I have to pass on it.”

Sarita felt dizzy and realized she’d been holding her breath, waiting for his answer. Gulping in air, she experienced a rush of relief. She’d never trusted Janice.

Again stunned by the protective instinct she was experiencing toward the man, she told herself that he could take care of himself. On the other hand, any man can be taken in by a pretty face and good figure, she mused, and her uneasiness returned.

With the uneasiness came frustration aimed at herself. She and Wolf couldn’t be in the same room for five minutes without fighting. Why should she care so much about what he did? What he does is his business, not mine!

Refusing to give up without having the last word, Janice took a step toward Wolf, raised up on tiptoes and kissed him lightly on the lips. “In case you change your mind, I’m leaving the invitation open.” With a final flirtatious smile, she strode back to her car and drove off.

“I apologize for Janice’s bad manners,” Wolf said to Luis, as they watched the sports car disappearing in the distance.

Luis shrugged. “She’s still angry with me for refusing her offer of a job. I explained to her that I’m an old man and can only do so much, and Mrs. Jessip needed me more. Susan Jessip can’t work her garden any longer and she needs the vegetables. But Mrs. Corbett didn’t want to take no for an answer. She doubled the amount she’d offered. Still, I had to refuse.”

Wolf nodded. “Janice likes having things her way.”

Luis looked up at him and grinned. “Most women do.”

Sarita had continued on to the front door to inform the men that dinner would be ready momentarily. “But most of us are tolerant and understand that you men have to have things your way once in a while,” she tossed back at her grandfather.

Wolf raised a skeptical eyebrow. “You? Understanding and tolerant?”

She frowned, as much at herself as at him. “I am most of the time.” She didn’t add except where you’re concerned, but the thought did flash through her mind.

“She’s telling the truth,” Luis said. “She’s got a good nature for a woman. Don’t know why you two could never get along. Right from the beginning, seems as if you declared war on each other. Sort of like you were born natural antagonists.”

“Makes it even more of a puzzle that she’d be stopping by my grave.”

Luis looked up at Sarita in surprise. “You’ve been stopping by Wolf’s grave?”

Hiding the surge of anger Wolf’s telling her grandfather about her early-morning visits caused, she gave a shrug of indifference. “I always go by Mom’s, Dad’s and Abuela’s to say good morning on my way to work. Figured since no one else would remember him, I would.” Not wanting to give either of the men a chance to continue this subject, Sarita added, “I’ve got to get back to the kitchen before my corn bread bums. Dinner will be on the table in five minutes.”

Luis frowned as the door swung closed behind her. “My granddaughter is a constant source of amazement.”

“I always thought she was just a hardheaded brat who grew up into a difficult woman.” Realizing he’d spoken aloud, Wolf grimaced. “No insult intended. That’s just the way she used to act when I was around.”

“You did bring out the worst in her,” Luis conceded.

“I still do. We can’t seem to be in the same place for more than a few minutes without getting into an argument.” Wolf shook his head. “Doesn’t make any sense that she’d go stopping by my grave.”

“If you’re asking me to explain my granddaughter’s actions, you’re asking the wrong person. A long time ago I decided that it could drive a man insane to try to understand what makes a woman tick. So I just enjoy them when they’re happy and stay out of their way when they’re angry.”

Following those guidelines, I should made certain Sarita’s path and mine never cross, Wolf thought. And that might be the smart thing to do. He could find another place to stay. But he wanted to be near his land. Besides, he liked it here. He felt comfortable with Luis. The old man respected other people’s privacy. He never pried and didn’t offer unasked-for advice. As for Sarita, Wolf’s curiosity remained strong. “We’d best be getting into dinner,” he said.

A few minutes later as they sat eating, a question Wolf had avoided asking nagged at him. Of everything he’d left behind, only two things had remained strong in his mind. The first had been his half sister, Claudia. In spite of Katherine’s constant attempts to make certain her daughter did not form any bond with Wolf, he’d always felt protective toward his half sister and had wondered how she’d fared. Bradford had informed him that Claudia was attending a private, very exclusive girl’s school in Dallas. That she wasn’t under Katherine’s constant influence had been good news.

But he did not expect good news about the subject of his second concern and had avoided asking. Now he could avoid the question no longer. “I went by the stables earlier today. They look like they haven’t been used in years.”

“Your father got rid of the horses soon after you were declared dead,” Luis replied.

Wolf was hearing what he expected. Neither his father nor Katherine rode. For as long as Wolf could remember, Katherine had tried to get his father to close the stables and get rid of the animals, but Frank O’Malley had felt bound to his deathbed promise to Willow that he would maintain the stables and provide horses for Wolf to ride. That had only increased Katherine’s hatred of them. “What happened to Blue Thunder?”

“Since he was getting on in age and he wouldn’t let anyone but you ride him...”

Wolf shoved his chair away from the table, his appetite gone. “He had him put down, didn’t he?” he growled around the lump in his throat. “Katherine must have been pleased.” Before either Sarita or Luis could respond, he rose and strode out of the room.

Since returning to the kitchen, Sarita had begun recalling the man Wolf had been before he’d been in the crash. By twenty-two, he’d grown cold, harsh, cynical and distant. And although, for his sake, she was glad he hadn’t been enticed back into Janice’s arms, she was beginning to wonder if he was capable of caring about anything or anyone other than finding ways to antagonize Katherine.

Now she knew she was wrong. The man was capable of caring a great deal. The pain she’d seen in his eyes told her that. Racing after him, she caught up with him in the hall. Grabbing hold of his arm, she forced him to stop. “Blue Thunder didn’t get put down. Abuelo and I took him. He’s in the canyon enjoying his old age.” Feeling his shudder of relief, she realized she was still holding on to him. Releasing him, she was surprised when her hand continued to remain warm from the contact. Shoving both hands into the pockets of her jeans, she took a step back, putting distance between them. “And seeing that you’re back, you can reclaim him. But you don’t have to worry about moving him right away. He can stay in the canyon as long as you like.”