“I didn’t know you were married, Rafe,” Annie said.

“Well, I’m not. Not really. It’s a marriage on paper only.”

“Oh?” Dallas said. “What do you mean?”

“Lilia moved to the trailer park about six years ago, and my parents became quite fond of her. She didn’t have much money and she rented a room from one of the other residents. She was cleaning houses, but having a hard time making ends meet. When the other residents moved out and sold their trailer, she had no place to go.”

“Surely she could find another place to live.”

“She wasn’t making enough cleaning houses to find her own place.”

“Then why didn’t she get a different job?”

“She… She couldn’t. She didn’t have a green card and she couldn’t get one.”

Annie touched Rafe’s forearm in a motherly way. “Was she here illegally?”

“No. At least, not at the beginning.” Rafe inhaled. Time to pay the piper. “Her visa had expired.”

“So she came here legally?” Dallas said. “At least originally?”

“Yeah. Some friends helped her get the necessary documents and leave before her father and brother found out.”

“I see.” Dallas drummed his fingers on the table. “So she has a valid Mexican passport?”

“As far as I know, yes.”

“And what type of visa did she carry?”

“She was in a hurry, and the quickest way to get a visa was for study abroad here in the U.S.”

“Did she actually study?”

“She planned to.”

“But she didn’t.”

“Not that I know of. She was supposed to meet relatives here in Colorado who would help her get registered at school. She was supposed to live with them.”

“Let me guess. The relatives never surfaced.”

“Right. She was naïve, no doubt. But at least she was away from her past.”

“Oh?”

“Her father and brother were heads of a big drug ring in Nogales. She’d suffered from their abuse for years. She’d finally escaped about three months before she showed up in our trailer park, looking for relatives she couldn’t find. She’d made her way here by working odd jobs as much as she could, getting paid in cash. One of the families, Thompson was their name, at Echo Gardens took her in. She kept their house and did other house cleaning jobs. When they sold their trailer a few months later and moved on, they didn’t take her with them.”

“So she didn’t go to school, and her visa expired a year later.”

“And there were no relatives?” Annie said.

“None that she ever found.”

“Once her visa expired, she was here illegally. She needed work, and she couldn’t go back to Nogales, face her brother and father, and return to the abuse. She told my mother things—things she wouldn’t repeat to my father or me. My mother just cried and said we had to protect Lilia no matter what.”

“I see,” Dallas said, “so that’s how you ended up marrying her?”

“Like I said, my parents were really fond of her. They couldn’t let her be deported. I was the only option.”

“What about Tom?” Annie asked.

“Tom was already married. They got divorced two years later.”

Rafe paused, but neither Dallas nor Annie spoke.

“She needed to be able to work. She needed a green card. By marrying a U.S. citizen, she was able to get one.”

“I see,” Dallas said again. “This may be none of my business, but did you have any feelings for her at all?”

“I was fond of her. She was kind of like a big sister to me.”

“No feelings of love?”

“Sure, I loved her. But not in a sexual way.”

Dallas let out a slow breath. “I’m not judging you, but you realize you broke the law, right?”

Rafe nodded. “I know it seems ridiculous. It does to me too. But at the time, I was twenty years old. I swore I’d never marry, never want kids. It was a stupid decision.”

“It wasn’t stupid to want to protect an innocent woman,” Annie said.

“No. I have no regrets about helping Lilia. Neither my parents nor I liked the idea of breaking the law, though.”

“I guess I can understand that.” Dallas stood. “So what do you need me for?”

“Simple,” Rafe said. “I want a divorce.”

---

Mrs. Franklin John Longhorn.

She gulped as her esophagus threatened to reverse. The sound of it nauseated her.

All her kids’ ears would stick out.

But she’d have her inheritance, along with all Frank’s money. No problem with her shopping habits. She didn’t have to learn to ranch after all.

And no more riding lessons with Rafe Grayhawk…

She’d have to sleep with Frank. Let him kiss her, touch her, probe her most intimate parts.

She shook her head to clear it. Mama was right. There was no other way. Besides, Frank adored her. He always had. He’d broken out in tears when she’d gotten engaged to Zach McCray all those years ago.

She held her head high as she walked into Deb’s Boutique.

The redheaded pain in the ass approached her. “Hello, Angie.”

“Hello, Lori. Is Deb here?”

“I’m sorry, she’s not feeling well today. She called me and told me you wanted a private Sunday shopping session and asked me to come in. What can I help you with?”

Angie stood silent for a moment, collecting herself. Was she completely presumptuous expecting Deb to open the store on a Sunday just for her? She’d done it before. Why not now? Why hadn’t she just told her she wasn’t feeling well when Angie had called? She sighed. She’d give Lori a chance. After all, how difficult could it be to pick out a dress for a small courthouse wedding next Saturday?

---

Dallas cleared his throat. “A divorce.”

“Yes.”

“May I ask why?”

Rafe fidgeted with the handle of his coffee mug. “I’d like to marry someone else.”

“I see.” Dallas rose from the table and paced to the kitchen. He picked up the carafe. “More coffee?”

Rafe shook his head as Dallas poured himself a cup, returned to the table, and sat down.

“Is there any way to end this marriage without harming Lilia?”

“I’m not an immigration lawyer.” He took a sip of coffee. “Do you think Lilia would be willing to return to Mexico if there was no threat to her?”

“I haven’t asked her, but I don’t see why she wouldn’t.”

“Who knows about this marriage?”

“Just my father, Tom, and me. Lilia didn’t change her name. Anyone who sees her green card just assumes she’s a legal immigrant, which she is, as my wife.”

“We could dissolve the marriage quietly,” Dallas said. “That’s not the issue. The issue is protecting both you and Lilia.”

“Yes, I know. We had to go through the interview process when Lilia got her green card. We played the loving couple, and the officer who interviewed us didn’t look twice. He knew the situation, that she was here on a student visa that was about to expire, and that we’d decided to get married so she didn’t need to renew her visa. And it’s not like she got something for nothing. She pays her taxes like everyone else.”

“True, and that will no doubt be considered.” He sipped again. “Is there anyone else who might be willing to marry her if you divorce her?”

“She keeps a low profile. She hasn’t dated, to my knowledge. She seems perfectly happy keeping house for my father in that little trailer.”

“I don’t think there would be any harm to Lilia. Since she’s been married to you for more than three years, her resident status probably won’t change.”

Rafe breathed out in relief. “That’s good news then.”

“Yes, but like I said, I’m not an immigration attorney. We really need to run this by someone who knows the current laws.”

“Do you know anyone?”

“Of course. I know several people in Denver who could take a look. Some who owe me favors.”

“How much would that cost?”

Dallas smiled. “For you? Nothing. Like I said, they owe me favors.”

Rafe widened his eyes. “Really? That’d be wonderful. I never expected to get anything for nothing.”

“I know that. But if Annie and Chad both vouch for you, I have no problem trading in a favor for you. Give me a day or two, and let me see what I can come up with.”

“Great!” Rafe nearly jumped out of his skin. “If everything works out, how soon can I get the divorce?”

“Not sure on that one. You don’t have any property to split, no children. Should be pretty straightforward. I’d say you could be a free man in six months.”

Six months? Angie needed him in two months.

“Can we speed that up a little?”

“Not in this state. You have to wait ninety days after papers are served. You could go to Las Vegas, but one of you would have to live there for six weeks to establish residency.”

“Crap.” Rafe sighed. What was the point now? He couldn’t save Angie’s ranch. No doubt she wouldn’t have him.

“What’s the hurry, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“This is all confidential, right?”

“Absolutely.”

“Do you want me to leave, Rafe?” Annie asked.

“No, of course not. Please stay.”

In a daze, he poured out the story of Angie and her long lost uncle. “I don’t know everything, but that’s the gist of it, to my understanding.”

“I feel for Angie, Rafe, I really do,” Annie said, “but do you really want to get into another marriage for the wrong reasons?”

“I have to agree with my wife,” Dallas said. “Marrying for any reason other than true love is not the way to go. Trust me, I’ve been there and I know.”

Rafe nodded, his mind racing. Why did he want to marry her? Was it solely to help her? To save her inheritance?

No.

I love her.

He loved Angelina Bay.

Or rather, he loved the Angie he knew when they were alone. The woman who bought clothes like they were penny candy? Not so much.

But they were the same woman. One and the same. How could he love one but not the other?

He couldn’t. I love them both. I love her.

“Is it possible there was a loophole in the grandfather’s will?” Annie asked.

“If there was,” Dallas said, “Harper would have found it.”

“Like I said, I don’t know the whole story.” Rafe stood. “I’ve taken up enough of your time. Thanks so much to both of you.”

Dallas stood and shook his hand. “I’ll call in that favor first thing tomorrow morning, bright and early. I’ll call you when I have any information.”

“I’m obliged,” Rafe said.

When he’d shut the front door of the ranch house behind him, his cell phone buzzed.

Tom. “Yeah, Tom, what’s up?”

“Come to the doc’s,” Tom said. “It’s Dad.”