Chapter Six
“Get out of the car,” the woman screamed again, kicking Harry’s door hard and making her jerk in her seat. She was a lovely young woman with long blond hair and green eyes, but anger had twisted her face into something unattractive. By the way she was swaying on her feet as she shouted and kicked noisily at the door, it was obvious to Harry the other woman was heavily drunk as well.
Devon’s face darkened in disapproval at the sight of Jill Bartwell. The quickest way to get rid of Jill would be to call Jim and have her own father take her away. But Jim was an old man, and the sight of his daughter at this moment would only hurt him.
“Who is she?” Harry asked anxiously.
His lips tightened. “No one important. Please stay here while I talk some sense into her.”
Devon was already out of the truck before she could answer. Harry knew the good thing to do was to obey Devon’s command. This was none of her business. But even knowing that, she couldn’t help it. She unlocked the door and followed Devon as he forcibly dragged the other woman away. Something inside Harry told her that she had to hear this. She tried to keep her footsteps quiet, but the crunch of rocks under her shoes gave her away. The woman’s head turned to her sharply, and Harry went still, stunned at the hatred on the girl’s face.
Jill had never felt more furious in her entire life. She had been incredulous when she heard the rumors about Devon going out with his new fiancée for dinner. She knew every eligible woman in this part of Texas, and not one of them would have dared poach on her territory. Ever since she was a little girl, Jill had known Devon James Montgomery was meant to be hers. She just had to make him realize the same thing.
When she had convinced Mary Beth to help her get Devon to the altar, Jill thought she had it made. But no – the plan had backfired, hideously, and now her father had forced her to get engaged to a lowly doctor. She, Jill Bartwell, the most beautiful girl in San Antonio, to marry a nobody while this – this plain and dowdy woman was going to have Devon Montgomery.
The thought got Jill so riled up she moved to strike the girl down, her hand already raised in the air. But suddenly Devon was there between them, capturing her wrist and forcing Jill to lower her arm.
“Don’t even think of hurting her,” Devon warned in an ominously soft tone.
Jill wanted to howl in outrage at the words. She just couldn’t take how protective Devon seemed towards this nobody. But like those who loved selfishly and blindly, Jill couldn’t make herself quarrel with Devon so instead she transferred all her loathing to the woman standing behind Devon.
“You’ll regret marrying him soon enough,” Jill jeered.
“Shut up, Jill,” Devon snapped. While staying in between the two to ensure Hilary’s safety, he took out his phone and called George, his right-hand man, to relay his orders. He wanted Jill gone from his property – the sooner, the better.
Harry shook her head. “I don’t understand---”
Jill laughed harshly. “Of course you don’t. I can see why he is marrying you, but haven’t you wondered why he’s marrying someone like you when he could have me?”
Devon glared at Jill in warning as he pocketed his phone. “Speak again and you will regret it your entire life.”
Jill knew Devon meant it. He always meant what he said, but right now she didn’t care. She just didn’t care. Devon had ruined her life! He had ruined all their lives by not being smart enough to figure out she was the one meant to be his wife.
“He chose you because you’re an idiot – a sucker who probably thinks he’d be the perfect husband for you. But he won’t. He can’t. When you marry him, you’ll be the mistress of Primrose Ranch, but guess what, sweetie pie? That’s all you’re going to be. The mistress of this house, and a mistress, too. Because Devon’s true love is the ranch and he will never love----”
“That’s enough.” The cold fury in Devon’s tone was such that even the intoxicated Jill was cowed into a sulking silence.
George and his men finally arrived, and Devon tersely ordered them to escort Jill back to her car and drive her home.
Harry remained quiet, trying her best to forget Jill’s words and telling herself that there was nothing to worry about. But still questions and doubts raced in her mind, and her heart became heavier with unease.
Devon cursed silently when he caught a glimpse of Hilary’s stricken face. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
“Who is she?”
“A neighbor’s daughter. That’s really all there is to us since I’m much closer to her father, who had become my mentor when my father died and I needed to learn about managing the ranch. She’s deluded herself into thinking that we’d one day marry even if I never did or said anything to make her think I was interested in her.”
“B-but are you?”
Devon’s words became clipped. “No. What I want is you.”
She shivered even as he suddenly pulled her close, and Harry knew it was more of a reaction to the other woman’s outburst than the cool evening breeze that danced around them and made the leaves of the magnolia trees flutter. High above them, a full moon glowed brightly in the starry sky, but its light was more melancholic than magical.
For some reason, Harry was unable to shake off the other woman’s words from her mind even though she also knew instinctively that every word Devon spoke was the truth. Maybe, maybe there was nothing about Devon and the woman Jill that she had to worry about. But what if the other things Jill said were true?
What if Devon would never be able to love her?
Devon was suddenly cupping her face. “Look at me, Hilary.” When she did, he said emphatically, “I swear on my father’s grave. Nothing ever happened between me and Jill Bartwell.”
She whispered, “I know.”
“Then what are you worried about?”
She lied, “N-nothing. I’m just nervous.”
They gazed at each other in silence after, Devon grim, Harry tense. She held her breath when he started to move, and her lips parted in wonder when she felt Devon’s lips touch her forehead in a tender kiss.
“There’s nothing to be worried about. Marry me tomorrow, Hilary, and I will make your dream come true. Marry me, and you will always be mine.”
The words were spoken with quiet strength and promise, and they served to push away her fears. When Harry whispered, “yes”, Devon let out a low growl of approval before he was pulling her again into his arms and kissing her in a way that felt like his conquest of her had already started.
****
It was a gorgeous late summer afternoon when Hilary White and Devon James Montgomery were married in a simple and intimate ceremony held at the garden of Primrose Ranch, attended by everyone working at the ranch and their special guests including Charlotte Carmichaels, the owner of Heart’s Match, and Mary Beth Montgomery, who dabbed her eyes repeatedly even though no tears actually fell.
Devon was strikingly attractive in a black suit while Harry was resplendent in a gown of white silk, with real pearls and diamonds encrusted on its full gown and a long veil attached to her head with a tiara of flowers.
Earlier, she had woken up to a beautiful surprise from Mary Beth, who had sent her wedding dress – already custom-fitted to her specifications. This is my wedding gown, Mary Beth had written in her note, and I would be greatly honored if you were to wear this on your wedding day.
Devon had offered Hilary the choice of postponing the wedding in favor of planning something grander, but Harry had insisted on going through with it. There was something inside her that feared delaying the wedding could prevent it from happening at all, and she did not want that.
She liked the feeling of belonging to someone, and it was a very addictive feeling. More terrifyingly, she could barely remember the days when she had not belonged to Devon. If he ever left her, Harry knew it would destroy her completely.
“You may now kiss the bride…”
The words had Harry blinking. She had not realized that the ceremony had already ended. And then Devon was lifting her veil. As they looked at each other, the fierce possession and joy in his eyes quieted the fears in her heart.
Perhaps Jill was right and for Devon, his work was his first priority. But that could change, the way Devon had changed her life so beautifully by choosing to marry her.
She closed her eyes and tilted her head up, a silent and shy invitation for his kiss.
The invitation was accepted and the moment their lips touched, her fears melted away.
Applause had them breaking apart, and Harry was unable to keep herself from laughing as cheers broke out and a crowd of ranchers and their families surged forward, showering them with rose petals as Devon took her hand and together they walked back to Primrose Ranch, the first place in her life she could truly call home.