Rita Herron - The Rancher Wore Suits

Now, dressed in Dex’s fancy suit and ties, he wondered if he would ever be that same man again.

JESSICA GRIMACED as she hurriedly gathered her notes. The morning had been wild. Five ear infections, a four-year-old who’d stuffed a candy up his nose and a baby she’d had to put in the hospital for dehydration. Unfortunately, the three-month old had lost the last of its fluids on her lab jacket. Thankfully, the formula hadn’t soaked through to the suit she’d worn beneath, but the sour milk smell lingered.

Dex Montgomery would not appreciate her new perfume. It wasn’t exactly the two-hundred-dollar a bottle type he probably bought for his lady friends.

Her beeper chirped just as she reached the car. A moment of fear hit her when she read the hospital number. But she quickly jumped into Nellie and phoned the hospital.

“Dr. Stovall here.”

“Yes, this is Dr. Blankenship. You wanted me to call about Donny?”

Jessica’s breath caught. “Yes?”

“He’s through surgery and holding his own for now. The next twenty-four hours will tell.”

Jessica thanked Dr. Blankenship then hung up. She closed her eyes and said a prayer, then shifted Nellie into gear and headed toward the hospital for the board meeting. She’d stop by to see Donny and his mother after the meeting. Maybe she’d have some good news to tell them, that Donny’s bill would be taken care of by some extra funds coming in, and that Donny’s mother wouldn’t have to lose her house to pay for her little boy’s surgery.

Now all she had to do was convince Dex Montgomery and that barracuda business associate of his to help her.

TY STARED at his grandfather across the boardroom table, emotions churning through him. He’d hoped Grandfather Montgomery would embrace him when he’d met him at the car and he’d worried the older man would recognize him as an impostor, but his grandfather had simply nodded good morning, started his Cadillac and driven to the office. He’d barely even looked at Ty, much less noticed the difference. Ty should have been relieved, but he wondered if Dex and Grandfather Montgomery ever hugged or really talked about personal things. Who had Dex turned to with questions when he was growing up?

Then Ty had noticed the pipe on the seat and made his first mistake; he’d asked his grandfather what kind of tobacco he smoked. Grandfather Montgomery had frowned and replied that Dex knew he’d given up smoking thirty years ago.

Was that the only thing he had in common with this grandfather? The fact that they’d both smoked at one time?

No, he and Dex had his dark eyes, as had their father. He remembered the photo album at home. Grandfather Montgomery had probably had thick dark hair, too, but now slivers of gray were threaded through the dark brown, and it had thinned slightly on top. He was a tall man with a commanding presence and a voice that spoke with authority.

Ty felt no real connection and it bothered him immensely. Inside, something twisted. He wanted to impress the man, to get his attention and prove he was worthy of being a Montgomery. He fought the insecurities, yet he had felt the same way in those damn meetings in Chicago. And when he’d gone to the bank for the loan back home.

It was the same way he’d felt when Paula had published that stupid article about him. He’d met her when he was giving riding lessons at a nearby dude ranch when he was twenty-five. He’d fallen for her hard, only to find out later she’d been using him. Paula had returned to New York City and written an article for her journalism school, which had received an award and been published in a local magazine, complete with pictures, making him look like a clod with a run-down ranch. He’d not only been hurt but humiliated.

Did Dex feel this need to prove himself all the time? As if he had to win Grandfather Montgomery’s respect?

Could Ty have inherited his drive to want more from the Montgomerys? Could that ambitious need be the reason Ty had always wanted to expand the ranch?

Had Pa Cooper recognized Ty’s ambition as a Montgomery trait—was that the reason he was so strongly against it? Because he didn’t want Ty to become like the Montgomerys?

Grandfather Montgomery stood. “I believe our meeting is over, gentlemen.”

Bridget, Dex’s financial advisor curled slender, manicured fingers over his and smiled. Ty had immediately recognized her from Dex’s description. Only, Dex had described her as efficient, brilliant, organized and attractive, while Ty’s impression differed. She was a waif-thin woman with steel-gray eyes, short brown hair that resembled a man’s cut, and a voice that hinted of arrogance. He had no idea what his brother found attractive about her; she was so skinny a good stiff Montana wind would blow her over.

Had she and Dex been involved personally?

And why had his brother never mentioned Dr. Stovall?

“Thank you for coming,” Bridget said, nudging Ty to stand. She shook each of the men’s hands and he followed suit. The two Japanese men owned a small medical building which M3I had just purchased for a million dollars. He had listened to his grandfather crunch numbers, Bridget present flow charts, and he’d simply nodded, grateful they had things under control.

He had no idea what they had just said.

Was he ignorant compared to Dex? Uneducated—

“That was a steal,” Bridget whispered.

For a million, the foundation must be built of gold, Ty thought.

“Dex, we have another meeting.” Bridget’s sharp high heels clicked on the floor. “The hospital board at Bethesda.”

“Don’t worry, it won’t take long,” Grandfather Montgomery added.

“Nos never do,” Bridget said with a laugh. “I just hope that Jessica Stovall doesn’t get emotional the way I’ve heard she can do.”

Jessica…yeah, he liked that name. He could imagine her getting emotional, passionate. Whispering his name in the dark…

“Dex can handle her,” Grandfather Montgomery said. “Can’t you?”

Ty nodded curtly, stifling the ridiculous fantasy.

“Come on, Dex,” Bridget leaned over and whispered in his ear. “We’ll ride over together and have some time alone.”

A seed of worry sprouted inside Ty. What the hell did she mean—time alone? Were they involved? If not, did Dex want them to be?

“Uh, I’m riding with Grandfather. There’s something I need to discuss with him,” Ty improvised.

“We’ll all ride together,” his grandfather said in a commanding voice. On the way to the car, Ty struggled for something to say, and prayed he wouldn’t reveal himself on the ride over.

THE MINUTE Jessica walked into the boardroom, her gaze latched onto Dex Montgomery. His dark eyes raked over her, a subtle look of hunger flashing in their depths. Seconds later, his financial advisor slipped so close to him a pencil couldn’t be wedged between them.

Jessica shook her head. She must have imagined his reaction to her.

He was obviously involved with the barracuda.

Telling herself it didn’t matter, she jerked her attention back to the hospital board, greeted each one in turn, shook Charles Montgomery’s hand, Bridget’s, then Dex’s and pulled out her reports.

“We’ll get right to the point,” Dr. Sheffield, head of the board, said. “Dr. Stovall is here to present information regarding the new children’s wing that has been proposed.” He gestured toward Jessica.

Picture Dex Montgomery naked, picture him naked, Jessica silently reminded herself. Then you won’t be nervous.

She stared directly at him and saw his clothes disappear, his big, dark, broad shoulders being unveiled. Dark hair would taper down to his flat stomach, then V downward…

She shook the image away, disgusted with herself.