The corner of the stable blocked Gen from view as five men rode out, heading for one of the pastures, toward her father’s property. Her father had never mentioned explicitly what he’d done, but she knew there was something out there on that stretch her father didn’t want Will to find just yet. With any luck, he would and it would put an end to all of it.

She dismounted and led the horse back into the stable, handing it off to one of the men. She didn’t have to deal with saddling her horse, nor caring for it after her ride. That was new, and perhaps one thing she could appreciate about her new status, there wasn’t much else to look forward to, if today proved anything.

As she made her way back to the house, giving it a good look, it hadn’t changed. It was just like it had been ten years before, when she’d been there almost every day. Even though its new owner was probably one of the wealthiest ranchers in the US, the homestead remained largely as it had been. He didn’t live there, so maybe that was expected, but after seeing what she had so far, it was a surprise that this bit of his past stood still. If she imagined real hard, it was almost like being a teen, following Billy and Carter everywhere they went, hoping that Billy would take notice.

Funny how some things never changed. She still wanted him to notice her.

Standing on the front stoop stood the very woman Gen had hoped she’d never have to see again: Maddie, still sulky and angry.

“Well, would you look what the cat dragged in,” she snarled. “I don’t care if you are his wife. I had him first, and I’ll have him last. Divorce is a thing and he’s got the money to make it happen.”

He probably would, but Gen wouldn’t tell Maddie that. “He’s not even here right now. Go home where you belong, Maddie. It’s only a mile walk, I’m sure you can manage.” Was she really as tired as she sounded? She ached to her very core to know where she stood with Will. If she wasn’t really a wife, what was she? Did she matter, or had he just needed her body when presented with the seduction the agency had planned?

“Mrs. Feast told me the same thing, but this isn’t her house, and it isn’t yours, either. I’ll just wait right here until Billy comes back.” She licked her shiny red lips.

Gen took the steps two at a time until she was toe to toe with her former friend. “His name, is William. And since Will is my husband, this house is mine. Now get the hell off my porch, off my lawn, and out of my husband’s life.”

Maddie laughed, shoving her out of the way. “Your husband didn’t seem to mind when I kissed him earlier. In fact, it was just like old times. Before you butted into our relationship. Why are you always getting between us? Without you around, I could be happy. I could keep him happy. He didn’t even think about you when he had me in his arms. He’d forgotten all about you.”

Gen left Maddie, too angry and hurt by Maddie’s words to say more. She was right. He hadn’t remembered her. Didn’t care. At least she could count on Mrs. Feast to keep Maddie out of the house. Will was a grown man, she wouldn’t fight his battles, and couldn’t, because she would lose. Yet again, Maddie had come between them. He couldn’t have both of them. He would have to choose, her or Maddie. She signed on as a bride for one man, not a concubine in a harem.

Mrs. Feast was in the kitchen, making something that smelled a lot like pot roast and Gen avoided her, so she wouldn’t be a bother, Maddie had done enough of that. The poor woman wasn’t used to cooking for so many and now she’d have a houseful. Not to mention she was in no mood to talk to anyone.

Up in her lavender room, she finally took a minute to look through all the clothes that the agency had purchased for her. Since she was married to a rancher, there were quite a few pairs of expensive jeans and long sleeved western-style shirts, with flattering darts along the waist that would make her look tiny. They had included a few skirt suits, some evening gowns, and even a few outfits for exercise. The panties they provided were embarrassingly skimpy, and other than the little nightgown she’d worn for her wedding night, there was no sleepwear.

She wandered up the hall until she found the largest room and Will’s suitcase sitting open on his bed, probably waiting for Mrs. Feast to get around to putting it away for him. One of his white tee shirts lay folded on the top and she picked it up and brushed it across her cheek, trying to glean some comfort from the cloth that the owner hadn’t offered. It smelled of him and reminded her of the night before, when she’d been wrapped up in him. How she wished he cared about her, more than just lust. But he didn’t. Letting Maddie claw all over him right in front of her spoke louder than any words he’d spoken … He didn’t care.

She brought the shirt back to her room and put it in her drawer, then took a few minutes to put away her own clothes. Just because there was someone to do it for her, didn’t mean they should have to. It wasn’t like Mrs. Feast didn’t earn her money. She had plenty to do without the added work of someone else to look after.

After a few hours, Gen finished a long hot bath and put away the last of her clothes, storing the two huge suitcases under the bed. There was yelling downstairs and Gen lingered by her door to listen. She didn’t want to be seen. Maddie had made it back into the house and Mrs. Feast was doing her best to shoo her out.

“You’re going to get me fired. Mr. Orion said that you were not allowed in the house! Now go!”

So, Will had finally stood up, at least a little. Gen couldn’t help but smile.

“I don’t care if you get fired. I don’t believe you for a minute. Billy wanted to see me when he got here, and he’ll be happy to see me once he gets home.”

“I warned you. I will call the police if I need to.”

The door swung open and Gen shrank back into her room to keep from being seen at the top of the stairs, visible from the doorway. Will and Carter walked in, dusty and glistening with sweat. In his jeans and tight cotton shirt, damp from his exertion and the sun, he looked like he was trying to emulate a young Clint Black. And doing it better. Need flickered to life deep within her. Just the sight of him after only a few hours of work made her want to drag him into the shower with her.

“Oh, Billy, you’re home!” Maddie threw herself at him once again.

He held up his hand to stop her, but not before she kissed him once again. Anger and jealousy burned where the spark of need had just been kindled. How dare he allow Maddie to do that? He was a married man, to her. Was her own kiss so disappointing that he had to look elsewhere?

Carter stepped in and took his sister by the elbow. “Come on, you aren’t supposed to be here. The guard was supposed to stop you.”

“The guard? You would put a guard up against me?” She huffed and ignored her brother as she stared at Will. Gen waited, wanting to know that her husband had done something to prevent Maddie from coming around. But worried it had been little more than words.

“The guard was told to keep you out. It was precautionary. I need to know why everyone is on my property and why.”

“What about your wife? She’s the one related to the man who’s bothering you.”

He stood straighter, his jaw tense. “Don’t think for a second that I don’t know that,” he growled and turned from Maddie. “You can stay for supper tonight, but I don’t want to see you around here anymore.”

She twirled her hair around her fingertip. “Of course, Billy. Anything you say.”

Gen backed against the wall until her breathing was back to normal. Will was still suspicious of her. He’d said so to Maddie. Though he was barring Maddie from the house in the future, he was allowing her to be there tonight. He’d said more to Maddie in the short time they’d been there than he’d said to her in total.

He really did intend to drop her back off with her father. He wasn’t even going to try to make this work as she’d asked. How could she sit next to him for supper and not ask him why? How could she hold her tongue until they were alone and it was appropriate, when all she wanted to do was run down the stairs and beat his chest to make him listen?

Mrs. Feast cleared her throat from the kitchen, but Gen couldn’t see her. “I set everything on the table, family-style as you requested, sir. Should I go up and get Mrs. Orion?”

Gen gasped, backing down the hall into her room, then closed the door silently, praying that all eyes didn’t look up the stairs at the mention of her name.

“I’ll go up and check on Gen. Why don’t all of you get ready to eat.”

She heard his booted feet come up the stairs and past his room to hers. “Gen? You in there?”

Her voice evaporated, and she sat down with her back to the door, unable to hold herself up with her weak knees. She clutched her hands together between her knees until they were white with the strain. She couldn’t say anything. He was suspicious of her. She’d done nothing but give him honesty and he didn’t believe it. His every action had proved that. He’d wanted her briefly the night before, but that didn’t mean he cared.

He pushed open the door. “Hey, time to eat. Get washed up and meet me downstairs.”

She swallowed hard. “I’m not hungry.”

He snorted. “Not hungry or just don’t want to eat with Maddie?”

“Both.” She didn’t need to answer to him for every feeling. She wasn’t some employee he could just order around. So what if she was jealous? He was supposed to be her husband. She’d given up everything to be with him, had signed her life away. It shouldn’t be too much to ask that he not have a woman on the side, especially less than a full day after their wedding.

“So be it.” He closed the door and left her there.