“I wish we didn’t have to go back. A week has never flown by so fast.”

Lance gazed at his wife indulgently. “Just because we’re going home, doesn’t mean the honeymoon is over.”

“True.” Tricia sipped a bottle of water as she swallowed her daily meds. “Can we stop by Shenandoah on the way home? Would that be too far out of the way?”

Lance glanced at his new bride. She was so beautiful and he was so damn lucky. “It’s about an hour drive north of here, I guess. We can go up there if you want to.”

“I do. I’d love to see your home, especially since we might live there someday.”

“All right, sweetheart.” He’d humor her, even though he already knew they wouldn’t be moving to Shenandoah.  

 As they drove, she kept up a steady stream of happy chatting.

“You know, I was thinking that we could convert the guestroom into a nursery instead of adding on another room.”

“I don’t think Aron minds adding on to the cabin, Tricia.”

“Oh, okay. Either way will be fine with me.” She grinned happily. “You know, if that article on the stigma of epilepsy is well received, I might see about starting up a support group in Kerrville. What do you think about that?”

Lance nodded. “I like the idea. You might get some guidance from the hospital, I bet they would be thrilled with the idea.”

“Yea, I bet there are some more people in town like me.”

“Nope, no one like you.” Tricia turned to stare at him and saw him grinning. “There’s no one as cute and sweet as you.”

“Stop it,” she chided him. “We got some pretty gifts at the wedding, I’ll have to send thank you notes when we get home.”

“I received a gift I haven’t told you about.”

“What?”

“Isaac gave me a key to their BDSM playroom.”

“Wow.” Tricia giggled, then crossed her legs really fast.

“What’s wrong?”

“I got really warm and tingly down there.”

Lance laughed. “Don’t tell me that, now I’m all warm and tingly.”

She stared at his crotch. “Yea, I can see that.”

“Have I told you I love you today?”

Tricia sighed with happiness. “Yea, but you can tell me again.”

“I love you.”

…When Lance whipped underneath the old Shenandoah sign, all he could think about was that photo of Tricia and her grandmother. God, if he could just turn back the clock, he’d lay that photo down and go crawl back in her bed. Nothing was worth the pain he’d caused her. He parked in the dirt driveway and stepped from the truck. Lance was about to go around to help Tricia down, but she bounded out with excitement before he could reach her. “Hey, easy now. Remember you’re with child, sugar.”

“Oh, I couldn’t forget our baby.” She laughed and ran forward, holding her arms out as if she were trying to embrace the world.

When she drew nearer, Tricia came to a stop. “Oh, Lance, just look at this.” She gazed at the stone house and the overgrown yard. She tried to imagine a young Lance running and playing, climbing trees, and running into the house when called for supper. The image caused her pain. Pain for what he’d lost.

“Yea, I’m looking.” Lance was surprised. His reaction at seeing Shenandoah was nothing like he’d anticipated. His heart didn’t race. There was no instantaneous surge of joy or homecoming like he’d always expected there to be. What he felt, instead, was just sadness.

“This is beautiful, Lance. I can understand why you missed it so.” They held hands and walked the rolling hills and stood by the tranquil lake. “With a little work the house could be made habitable.”

“Maybe.” Lance took it all in, his eyes roving over the ranch he hadn’t seen in almost twenty years. The Lamberts had run cattle and horses on the land, but they hadn’t done much with the outbuildings. What he’d built up to be a paradise in his mind was just a rundown piece of Texas real estate, full of ghosts and empty memories.

“We’ll do whatever makes you happy. Okay?”

Lance felt his heart contract with love. “You make me happy.” Hooking an arm around her neck, he pulled her in for a hug. “Let’s go home.”

 

* * *

Married life proved to be all Tricia dreamed it would be. She loved taking care of Lance and making a home for him. Their days flowed from work, to shared evenings, to nights of wedded bliss. Early one morning, as they lay next to one another, perfectly content, her phone rang.

“Don’t answer.”

“It might be important,” she said, reaching for the phone. “It could be Avery or Skye.”

“All right.” He covered his head with a pillow.

“I don’t know this number.”

“Don’t answer,” he mumbled again.

“Oh, I can’t stand it!” She fussed. “Hello?”

There was an extended pause and then she gasped. “Oh, no!”

Lance tensed. Raising up, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

Tricia was crying as she laid down her cell. “Grandmother died a few minutes ago.”

“I’m so sorry, baby.” Lance couldn’t believe his change in attitude, but he was truly sad. Seeing Tricia cry so hard just broke his heart.

“I don’t know why it hurts so much,” she sobbed the words. “I didn’t know her long or even really well.”

“She was your grandmother, it’s natural.” He cradled her to his chest in front of the stove. “Sit down and let me fix you some breakfast.” Tricia chose the chair nearest to him, seemingly unable to bear to be too far from his side. He was worried about her, hesitant to let her out of his sight for very long at a time. He wished he could just take off work until this was over, but he couldn’t.

“I don’t feel good,” Tricia murmured, rising.

“What’s wrong?”

“Morning sickness, I think.” She rushed from the room and Lance went with her, following her to the bathroom where she knelt by the toilet. “This is normal.”

He wet a rag and sank down beside her. “Yes, it’s normal.” Lance placed a hand on her back and rubbed gently. “It’s just not good timing, is it?”

Tricia didn’t throw up, but she leaned her arm on the seat and rested her head against it. “Cady’s little girl, Angel, told her than she planned on playing with our little girl when she’s born.”

“Little girl?”

Tricia laughed weakly. “Angel said her name would be Serenity.”

“That’s a pretty name.” Right now, he didn’t care about names. He wanted their child to be healthy and its mother to be happy. “The baby could be a boy, you know.”

“Maybe, but I’d be surprised. Cady’s always right and Angel is her daughter.” She pushed herself to her feet. “I think I’m okay now, it was a false alarm.”

“All right, let’s get you something to eat.”

He led her back to the kitchen and Tricia was grateful. There was much to do and she needed her strength and his support. So far, she’d spoken to Avery and told her the news. Bryn would keep the shop open and Freddy volunteered to give her a hand when Kristen couldn’t be there.

“I’m just not sure what will happen.” Tricia sipped a glass of water Lance had set in front of her. “Am I supposed to make the arrangements?”

“What did the lawyer say to you when he called?” Lance asked as he dished up a bagel and scrambled eggs.

Tricia shrugged. “Not much, just that he’d be in touch.” She glanced at the clock. “I wonder if I should call him?”

“It’s only nine o’clock, baby. I don’t think lawyers keep early hours.”

The sudden ringing of a phone caused them both to jump. “Maybe that’s him.”

“No, it’s mine. Hold on.” Lance answered it, “Rogers.”

“Hey, Aron. Yea, it was bad. Unfortunate.”

Tricia stood and walked to the window. She still couldn’t believe her grandmother was gone. When she placed her hand to the glass, staring out at the cattle in the distance, she noticed the glint of the diamond on her finger. Pressing the ring to her lips, she gave thanks that she had Lance. Filled with emotion, she turned, colliding with him. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Lance rubbed his hands up and down her arms. “You’ve got me, you don’t have to wonder such things.” He kissed her. “I do have to go out for a little while, if that’s okay. Aron just got a call from Bull Redford and there’s an equine virus going around. We’ve got to round up the horses and have them all tested.”  

“Of course, go. They need you.”

He squeezed her hard, closing his eyes at the relief of having her in his arms. “I won’t be gone long. I just need to get the ball rolling. Will you be all right?”

“Yes.” She rubbed her face against his chest. “If I don’t hear from the lawyer, I’ll call him and try to find out what’s going on. Grandmother has a brother I’ve never met, maybe I can get in touch with him. I just want to know what the plans are for her…” Tricia found it hard to say the word ‘burial’.

“I understand. I wish like hell you didn’t have to go through this.”

“Everybody does at one time or the other.” She wiped her eyes and smiled up at him. “Be careful, husband.”

“I like the sound of that, wife.” He tapped the top of his hat. “If you need me, call the ranch office. Cell phone service isn’t reliable in the more remote sections of the ranch.”

She walked to the porch to watch him leave, holding her hand up in farewell. “Be careful!”

Retracing her steps, Tricia finished the breakfast Lance had prepared for her, then did the dishes. She also put a roast and vegetables in the crockpot and set the timer. As she wiped down the cabinets and cleaned a spot on the stove, she considered replacing the kitchen curtains, the material was a little frayed on the edges. This was her house now and there were just a few changes she wanted to make. Maybe she should stop by the mercantile store and see what they had in stock. If only…

Her grandmother’s death put a damper on everything. “I wish I’d had you in my life a little longer,” she spoke softly, picking up the envelope off the counter which contained the trust information. She noticed the deed was gone and assumed Lance had moved it to a safe place. Opening the letter, she reread it. There wasn’t a lot of information, the document stated that the lawyer would furnish all the details when she came in for a visit. Tricia’s face crumpled into a sob.

When her phone rang, she wiped her eyes and looked at the display. James Elkins, Attorney at Law. “Hello? Mr. Elkins?”

“Yes, Tricia, I know you’ve been waiting to hear from me. Dealing with something like this in the middle of the night is difficult. I needed to get in the office and check my files. I’ve notified Peter Stevens, Mrs. Lambert’s brother, and he’s coming into town this afternoon. I was wondering if you could visit North-Star in the interim and locate a folder in Marcelle’s desk. Her last communication to me was that she’d left instructions for her funeral in a letter addressed to you. Now, I know some of the details are prearranged, but since you’ve entered the picture, she did make some changes. I’d go and pick up the folder for you, but I’m due in court in a half hour.”

“I don’t mind going. Will someone be there to let me in?”

“Yes, her staff is still there. They probably will remain, if I had my guess. We’ll iron out all those details when the will is read after the funeral. Right now, we just need to insure all of her final requests are carried out to the best of our ability.”

“I’ll take care of it, Mr. Elkins.”

“Great. If you’ll plan on being at my office at two, we’ll take care of everything together.”

Once she ended the call, Tricia phoned Freddy. “Hey, are you really busy with deliveries?”

“No, not at all. It’s pretty quiet here, actually. Bryn hasn’t raised anything from the dead or turned water into wine lately.”

Tricia smiled at the antics of her friends. “If you can break away, I need you to go with me to North-Star, I need to pick up something my grandmother left for me.”

“I’ll be at your front door within minutes.”

“Thanks, Freddy.” While she waited, Tricia puttered around the house, made their bed, and left Lance a note in case he returned before she did. Stopping in the bathroom, she repaired her makeup and brushed her hair. The simple black dress she wore would be fine. Studying her face in the mirror, she frowned at the dark circles under her eyes. “You look like a raccoon, girl.”

A tap on a car horn outside set her feet in motion. She grabbed her purse, headed out to the porch, locking the door behind her. Freddy was out of the car and ready to help her inside.

“How are you, sweetie?”

“I’m okay.” She cleared her throat and settled in, fastening her seat belt. “This was such a shock, you know?” When he climbed in beside her, Tricia turned to face him. “I knew she was sick, I just didn’t know I’d lose her so soon.”

“I know, I lost my dad last year, prostate cancer.”

“I’m sorry, Freddy.” She put her hand on his arm. “How about your mom?”

“She’s still kicking, started dating again, some salesman from Topeka.”

Tricia giggled. “You said Topeka like it’s a bad word.”

He shrugged, pulling out on the highway. “I have a first draft done on the article.”

“Great! When all of this is…over. I’d love to read it.”

“I’m counting on it.”

They were silent the rest of the way, both lost in their own thoughts. When Freddy parked in front of North-Star, Tricia was slow to leave the car. “She’s not going to be in there.”

“No, she’s not.”

“This is my first real experience with death. I didn’t know my father or my grandfather, other than by name.”

“It’s never easy, I don’t think it’s supposed to be.” He helped Tricia from the car and escorted her up the steps, pressing the doorbell.

When the old butler came to let them in, he gave a courtly bow. “Please accept my sympathies, Miss Yeager.”

“Thanks. I appreciate you.” She brushed her hair back from her face, glancing around the museum-like room. “I just need to get some papers from my grandmother’s desk.”

“Of course, follow me.” He led her to the office and turned on a light. “I don’t suppose you know what will happen to the house, do you, Miss?”

“Grandmother never spoke of this with you?”

“No ma’am, Mrs. Lambert was a very private person.”

Tricia nodded. “I assume we’ll learn everything at the reading of the will.”

“Of course.” He backed out of the room and Freddy shivered. “He reminds me of Lurch.”

“Really, Freddy,” Tricia admonished him. Going to the desk, she took a deep breath and sat down in her grandmother’s chair. “All right. Let’s see if I can find this information we need.”

First, she looked where the lawyer had told her it would be. Nothing. There were several fountain pens, a bottle of ink, a stamp pad, and some paperclips. “Okay, next drawer.” The top right hand one held several folders, which she took out and spread on the desk. Thumbing through them, she saw one with the word ARRANGEMENTS on it in bold letters. “This must be it.” Opening the folder, she saw an envelope with her name on it. Opening it, she found the list of her grandmother’s requests for her funeral. Tricia didn’t take time to read it, she knew the lawyer would know how best to handle the situation. As she was returning the folders to the drawer, she spied one with the name LANCE ROGERS spelled out on the tab.

Before she could weigh the rightness or the wrongness of her actions, curiosity got the best of her. Tricia opened the folder and focused on the first page. At first, she couldn’t understand what it was saying.

“What’s wrong?” Freddy asked, seeing the confusion on her face.

“I’m not sure.” She blinked her eyes and read it again. A pain hit her so hard in the chest that Tricia doubled over. “Oh, no!” she gasped, covering her mouth.

“What’s wrong, Tricia?” Freddy repeated. “Are you hurt? Sick? Is it the baby?”

“No, nothing like that.” She couldn’t believe her eyes. The letter she held in her hand proposed an agreement between her husband and her grandmother. “No, please, no.”

“What?” Freddy demanded, coming to stand by her.

With tears streaming down her face, Tricia told him what she’d found. “Grandmother offered to deed Shenandoah Ranch to Lance…in exchange for marrying me.”

 

* * *

The drive back to Tebow was made in relative silence. Tricia couldn’t talk. All she could do was relive every moment she’d shared with Lance. Every word. Every touch.

Could everything be a lie?

Tricia groaned, remembering how her grandmother had asked questions about Lance. She’d known who he was from the very beginning. Why had her grandmother done this? If she’d wanted Lance to have the ranch, why hadn’t she just given it to him? “Oh, Grandmother, no.” The truth hit her like a ton of bricks. Marcelle Lambert had known about the epilepsy and she knew Tricia loved Lance with every fiber of her being.

“What’s wrong?”

The words tasted like bile in her mouth. “My grandmother tried to buy me the man she knew I wanted.” 

“That’s ridiculous, no grown man worth his salt can be bought like that.” Freddy shook his head, cutting his eyes toward Tricia. “Marrying you would be a privilege, not a chore.”

Tricia’s head was spinning. Everything was suspect.

Laying her head against the window, she tried to think. Why had Lance married her? With agonizing clarity, she recalled the brush-offs, the anger when he found out she was pregnant. And then, his abrupt change of heart. Why had he changed his mind?

Tricia covered her mouth, stifling her cry. “You don’t know what Shenandoah means to Lance. He hated my family so much for taking it away from his parents.”

“You don’t have to go back to him, you know. You can come to my place.” Freddy’s concern for her was almost overwhelming.

“I’m not sure what I’ll do,” she whispered. “I’m having trouble thinking.”

“Tricia? Are you all right?”

“Pull over, Freddy. I’m…” She began to shake and the seizure stole her words.

 

* * *

 “Tricia!” Lance walked through his cabin. “Tricia! Where are you?” Finding no one, he returned to the kitchen and noticed a note propped up on the table between the salt and pepper shakers. Taking it in hand, he read:

Love of my Life,

The lawyer called and asked me to go to North-Star and find a folder detailing Grandmother’s last requests. After that, I have a meeting in his office to plan the funeral with him and my uncle. I will be home soon. There’s a roast in the crockpot. Check for seasoning.

Your lucky wife

Lance laid down the note and went to the crockpot, removing the lid and forking a bite. “Yum!” Glancing at the clock, he figured she should be home soon.

The sound of car tires on the gravel outside alerted Lance that someone had arrived. When he hurried to the front, he saw Danvers leaving and Tricia climbing the steps up on the porch. “Hey, how did everything go?”

“Okay.”

She looked tired. Pale. “What’s wrong?” Lance immediately went to her, but Tricia evaded his embrace and moved on into the house. “Tricia?”

“I need to lie down for a little while.”

“Of course.” He followed behind her, trying to figure out what was wrong. “Are you nauseated?”

She shrugged, hugging herself as she moved toward the guestroom. “I had a seizure on the way back from North-Star.”

“God, I’m sorry, Tricia.” He felt helpless as she laid down on the bed. “Why didn’t you go to our room to rest?”

“I just need to be alone for a while. Okay?” She turned away from him to face the wall.

Lance stood there, staring. “You’re worrying me.” He knew she was upset. “Did you see the lawyer about the arrangements?”

“No. I had to reschedule. The seizure made me late.”

Her voice was so quiet, so modulated. She was acting differently than she had this morning. “I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do?” He pulled an afghan from the foot of the bed and covered her up.

“No. I just want to be still and be by myself.”

Lance leaned over to kiss her and when she stiffened, he felt a sense of panic wash over him. “I’ll be in the living room if you need me.”

“I think I’ll sleep in here tonight, I need to think.”

Lance wanted to argue. He wanted to insist that she move to their room. He wanted to pick her up and hold her, but he did none of those things. If she needed a little space, he’d give it to her. For now. “All right. I don’t like it, but all right.”

As he left, he closed the door and Tricia stared sightlessly at the wall.

How could she reconcile what she’d seen in that file to what she knew about her husband? Burying her face in the pillow, she recalled his whispered words of love, the way he held her to him as if she were the most precious thing in the world. She also remembered what Avery had said when Tricia first moved in with Lance.

“We worked it out.” She squeezed Tricia’s hands. “I’m not saying he’ll never hurt me again, but if he does – I’ll listen to him. I’ll talk to him. I’d give Isaac every benefit of the doubt.” Avery sniffed her nose and grinned. “And then, I would probably kick his ass.”

Tricia smiled weakly, remembering Avery’s advice. Jumping to conclusions too quickly was what got them on the wrong path to start with.

“But what if…?”

Could a man like Lance ever truly find a woman like her worthy?

She didn’t know, but she would give it time. After the funeral, she’d be able to see things more clearly.

 

* * *

The days that followed were difficult for Tricia. Even with Lance by her side, she felt so alone. Keeping him at arm’s length was taking a toll on them both. When the time came, she met with the lawyer and was introduced to her uncle Peter and his son Colin. Her grandmother had told her they were nicer than she was, but Tricia didn’t find them to be so. They were very perfunctory, reviewing the arrangements and checking their schedules. Tricia wasn’t really included in the discussion at all, she merely sat back and listened. A memorial service would be held in two days, a graveside service only, per Marcelle’s instructions. The reading of the will would be held immediately afterward.

As Tricia left, she didn’t see Lance – but he saw her. Once she was gone, riding off with Freddy Danvers, he entered the lawyer’s office.

Despite his good intentions, Lance felt guilty. He’d been entrusted with something precious and he’d let it slip through his fingers and shatter on the ground. If he could turn back time, he’d do everything differently. For one thing, he wouldn’t have wasted years hating and he wouldn’t have bound his life up longing for a piece of property that never deserved his obsession.

But none of that mattered now.

Only Tricia mattered.

…As they sat at the kitchen table, he tried to get her to talk to him. “Let me do something for you, baby. Anything. Please?”

Lance was at his wit’s end. His wife had shut herself off from him. Oh, she was still in the same house, but she’d erected a wall of isolation. They didn’t sleep in the same bed and they didn’t make love. She answered his questions, but she didn’t initiate any conversation. “I don’t need anything, thank you.” Her hands were folded in her lap, her hair caught back in some type of loose knot at the back of her neck.

Lance felt the weight of the world descend on his shoulders. “I love you more than I can say, sweetheart. Please don’t shut me out. Whatever is wrong, let me try to fix it.” Please, God, no. Don’t take her from me. I’ll do anything…anything. He went to the kitchen and poured her a glass of water, bringing it back to her. “Here, drink this, Tricia. You don’t want to get dehydrated.”

“I will, thank you.” She took the glass and raised it to her lips.

Her voice was so lackluster and low, Lance could barely hear her speak. She didn’t sound right. There was no life in her tone, no joy in her greetings. Her words were flat. Expedient. “Tricia?”

When she raised her eyes to his, Lance felt all was lost. One thing he counted on, one thing he’d held onto for so long, was the way she looked at him. She would watch him as if she was enchanted, bewitched, as if he were something she wanted more than air, a temptation she couldn’t resist.

All that light was gone from her eyes. Now, she gazed at him as if he was someone she didn’t know.

Fear, such as Lance had never known, filled his heart. “Tricia? Baby? Talk to me, please.”

She nodded her head. “I just need to get through the funeral and the reading of the will, then I will. I promise.”

When the time came, he drove her to the funeral. Lance wanted to pay his respects for Tricia’s sake. “Just remember that I love you. Okay?”

She nodded, not meeting his gaze. “I’ll go sit up front with the family,” she told him, clearly indicating that he should stay in the back. Considering their past history, Lance could understand. His wife didn’t need him now, anyway. She was surrounded by her posse. Avery and Bryn on one side, Kristen and Freddy on the other. It would’ve taken a stick of dynamite to dislodge her entourage.

Once the short service was over, he waited for her to join him. “Are you ready for me to drive you to the reading of the will?”

She shrugged and pointed to Kristen. “Nathan and Kristen are going to drive me.”

Lance swallowed, holding his hat between his fingers. “I see. Well, I’ll be waiting for you at home.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “I know this has been hard for you, but I’m begging you not to shut me out. I want my wife back.”

…When they arrived at the lawyer’s office for the reading of the will, Tricia left Kristen and Nathan in the front lobby. “I’ll be right back, this won’t take long.” She hugged them, thankful for their support. “Thank you so much for bringing me.”

In the lawyer’s office, Tricia sat alongside her uncle and his family. They didn’t have much to say to her and that was all right. The only person she cared about was out of the picture. As the lawyer began to read through the formal statements, Tricia’s mind wandered. What would she say to Lance? As soon as this was behind her, she planned on confronting the issue head on, she wanted to hear his side of the story. There was a large part of her heart that kept insisting he’d married her because he wanted to, not just to regain possession of his heritage.

“What?” Peter Stevens exclaimed. “Outrageous!”

Tricia jerked her head up just in time for the lawyer to reiterate. “All of Marcelle Lambert’s possessions listed here go to you, Mr. Stevens, including North-Star. The trust belongs to her granddaughter, however. This is not part of the estate. She gave this trust to Tricia for a wedding present. Two million dollars.”

“No!” Tricia protested, her eyes growing wide. “I don’t deserve so much!”

“No, she doesn’t,” Peter Stevens agreed. “She didn’t show up in Marcelle’s life until she was old and sick. She’s a vulture! My sister has already given her money for that foolish florist shop.”

Tricia frowned, the insult coming as a shock. “I did accept a loan from her, but I’ve been paying it back. I never wanted money from her, I just wanted to be a part of her life.”

“Nevertheless, these are Mrs. Lamberts wishes.” The lawyer stood and gestured toward the door. “If you two would excuse us, I would like to speak to Mrs. Rogers alone for a moment.”

“We’re not leaving until this is resolved!” Peter Stevens exclaimed loudly.

“Just give us a minute, then I’ll address any concerns you might have,” the lawyer insisted, escorting the father and son to wait in the anteroom.

In the interim, Tricia sat there. Stunned. When Mr. Elkins returned, she was ready with her argument. “Can I refuse the bequest?”

The lawyer chuckled, shaking his head. “Yes, you could, but I don’t think you should. Your grandmother wanted you to have this money. You’re pregnant with her great-grandchild.” He pushed a paper toward her. “This is what I wanted you to see.”

“What is it?”

“As your grandmother’s lawyer, I’m familiar with her past. I know how Mr. and Mrs. Lambert acquired the piece of property known as Shenandoah.”

Tricia felt her heart begin to race. “I was very hurt when I learned the truth of the matter.”

“I also know about the former owners and your relationship with their son.”

Tricia hung her head. “Yes, when I was searching for her funeral instructions, I found the proposed contract where Grandmother offered the ranch to Lance if he would agree to marry me.” Just saying the words out loud was humiliating. “I wasn’t aware of her offer, but she did give him the deed at the wedding.” Swallowing hard, she hugged herself, praying she didn’t succumb to a seizure. “I haven’t discussed the matter with my husband…yet.”

“Well, before you do. There’s something you should know.”

Tricia lifted her head, holding her breath.

“Lance Rogers never agreed to her proposal. In fact, he refused to accept the gift. He returned it.”

“What?” The impact of his statement knocked the breath from Tricia’s lungs.

Lance hadn’t married her for Shenandoah.

He hadn’t lied to her. His words were true.

Lance loved her.

Joy swelled in her heart.

The lawyer continued his explanation. “Since he refused the gift, it goes back into the bulk of the estate and, therefore, to Peter Stevens.”

Tricia blinked her eyes as his statement sunk in. “No. No, I can’t allow that. Lance’s legacy shouldn’t go to someone else.” She stood and started for the door. “Call my great-uncle back in, see if he’ll accept my trust in trade for Shenandoah.”

The lawyer tried to talk her out of it. “Are you sure? Let’s negotiate a price, get the ranch properly appraised.”

“You’re familiar with the property. What is it worth?”

“Well, two million would be excessive.”

“Good, then Uncle Peter will more readily accept my offer.” Just stating her intentions made her feel better. She beamed with happiness. “This is the way it should be. I didn’t want the money, I’d much rather right this wrong.” She’d longed to return Lance’s heritage to him and now she’d be able to do it. The right way.

Once she spoke to Peter Stevens and he examined the property description of Shenandoah, her great uncle agreed to the deal. Tricia waited until Mr. Elkins drafted up a document detailing the transaction and stating who the rightful owner of Shenandoah would be.

When they were alone once more, Mr. Elkins pulled out another folder. “Your husband had me draw up one more document, Mrs. Rogers” He laid it out. “This is a post-nup, he has signed away any claim to any property or money you might possess or inherit.”

Tricia wiped the dampness from her eyes. “Well, that’s sort of immaterial at this point. I don’t have much left.”

As Mr. Elkins rose to walk her out of his office, he placed a hand on her shoulder. “Knowing the unfortunate history between the two of your families, I have to say that I have never witnessed a greater display of love than what you and your husband have been willing to do for the other. I hope you realize how lucky you are.”

Tricia thanked him. “I do and I appreciate you, Mr. Elkins. Let me know when all the paperwork has been completed.”

 

* * *

 When she arrived home, she found Lance on the porch swing.

Waiting.

Tricia came to him slowly. The expression on his face was so fearful, so hesitant. She couldn’t stand it. Tricia held her arms open and this time he came to her, sweeping her off her feet.

“You love me,” she whispered in wonder. “You really love me.”

“Completely. Utterly.” He cradled her close, letting her slide down his body to stand on her feet.

Pressing her face to his chest, she listened to his heart. “I’m so sorry, Lance. When I went to North-Star to pick up the envelope containing Grandmother’s funeral requests, I found the document detailing the offer she made you, when she tried to force you to marry me.”

“Baby, listen, I walked away from her. I would have never agreed to such a proposition.”

“Yet, you married me,” she said softly.

“Yes, because I couldn’t live without you.”

“At first, I thought the worst. When I came home, I couldn’t tell you. I wanted to believe in us, but I was so afraid.” Looking back was painful, but she needed to know. “When you asked me if I was desperate, she’d already offered Shenandoah to you, hadn’t she?”

“Yes, but I was blinded by hate for what she’d done to me.” He felt pain like a knife rip through his chest when he remembered what he’d done. “I’ll never hurt you again. I swear. Never. I’ll make it my life’s mission to prove it to you.”

“You don’t have to. I believe you now, Lance. Mr. Elkins told me you refused the gift of Shenandoah – for me.”

“I never wanted you to have a doubt about my reasons for wanting to be with you. I didn’t want that obstacle to be forever between us. I wanted to fix what I destroyed.” Lance framed her face, kissing the tears away from underneath her eyes. “The only thing that’s important to me is you. Without you I’m nothing. You are the center of my universe. I don’t want to live a day on this earth without you.”

Her heart swelled with love. “When you refused the gift, the property reverted to the estate.” She paused. “I didn’t inherit North-Star, Lance. My uncle inherited everything.”

“I’m sorry…”

Before he could say anything more, she added, “I didn’t want it.”

“I didn’t either, but she was your grandmother. Did Elkins show you the other document, the post-nup? I won’t take your trust money either, we’re going to have to live on what I can earn.”

Being in Lance’s arms felt so good, she sighed with happiness. Nothing else was important. “Yes, we are. But we’re going to live on Shenandoah.”

Lance’s breath stalled in his chest. “What did you say?”

She drew back and removed one single sheet of paper from her pocket.

He took it, still staring into her eyes. “What did you do? You’re all I want.” Softly, he layered his mouth over hers and the kiss they shared was tender and sweet. “You, just you.”

“You’ve got me,” Tricia whispered. “I’m yours. Always will be.” Tricia smiled. “I just made a wise investment.”

He examined the paper, his hands shaking. “You bought Shenandoah? With your trust money? I can’t see how you could consider this to be wise.”

Tricia smiled. She felt completely free and completely loved. “Oh, but it is. I'm investing in the man I love and in our future.”

“God, I love you.” Lance kissed her again, more urgently.

Tricia could feel his erection thick between them. She pressed closer, moving sideways to rub herself against his hardness. “I missed you so.”

His kiss turned desperate, his desire unmistakable. “I was going crazy without you.”

Smiling up into his flushed face, Tricia held out her arms. “Take me to bed, Lance.” His whole body shook with relief as he lifted her into his arms and carried his wife into the house, laying her gently on the bed. While he watched her undress, he did the same, his eyes glowing dark with arousal.

Even though they’d only been apart for a few days, she felt shy with him, her hands coming up to cover her breasts. Lance placed one knee on the bed, unable to take his eyes off her. Taking hold of her hands, he moved them to her sides. He stared at her like a man starved for sustenance, unable to decide what life-saving delicacy to sample first.

Tricia was mesmerized. This was different. He was different. She could see the need in his face, the longing in his eyes, the way his cock was so strutted and throbbing it looked painful.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered with wonder in his voice. “I want you so much. I can’t wait, I can’t wait.” Tricia clasped him around the neck and pulled him to her. With lips sealed, he parted her thighs with his own and entered her slowly, sheathing himself completely with a groan of absolute relief. “Oh, God, baby, it seems like it’s been forever.”

He began to move and she whimpered at the welcome fullness inside of her. She wrapped her arms and legs around him as he stroked in and out of her over and over, finding all the right spots to drive her crazy. “Don’t hold back, I want to watch you cum,” she told him. “I want to see how much you want me.”

Her words were his undoing and he gave up control. His body clenched, his back bowed, and his face went taut with bliss. A bellow of victory was ripped from his throat and the sound of his ecstasy tipped her past the point of no return. She convulsed around him, squeezing him tight, increasing his pleasure and perpetuating her own.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” he said, once they lay supine and satisfied. “I’m so relieved to have you back where you belong.”

She sighed, feeling complete and safe for the first time since they left the houseboat. “It doesn’t matter where we live or where we call home, does it, Lance?” She placed a reverent kiss on his chest, right over his heart. “As long as we’re together, I’ll be happy.”