When he reached the fuel tank, he took off the cap and checked the fuel level. After that, he opened the cowling, checked the oil level and all the hoses and wires. He carefully examined the engine, the throttles, the spark plugs. As he checked each item, he marked it off his list.
The first time Elliott had watched Stephen do all this he’d said, “Do you think something’s wrong?” His inference was that something must be wrong if Stephen had to inspect so many things.
Stephen had just smiled. “No, but thorough checks of everything before you get up in the air prevents problems. It’s the main reason flying is so safe.”
Elliott had nodded, reassured.
Today Stephen found everything in order, and after loading his gear and receiving the okay from the tower, he taxied to the lone runway of the small county airport and was soon in the air. It was a gorgeous summer afternoon, with clear skies—perfect flying weather.
After climbing at fifty-five knots to his cruising altitude of ten thousand feet, Stephen kept his air speed at a hundred knots and settled back to enjoy the flight. He figured he’d get to McPherson’s, the private airport where he kept his plane, in less than an hour and a half, which would put him at the ranch about five.
He wondered if he should have called Elliott to tell him he’d be back earlier than planned. Then again, what did it matter? Elliott wouldn’t care.
For the rest of the uneventful flight, Stephen thought about Elliott and how much he owed him. Stephen had been only five years old when his parents—his and Elliott’s mother, Felicia, and her second husband, Stephen Alexander Wells, for whom Stephen had been named—had been killed in an automobile accident while on vacation in England where they’d been visiting friends. Elliott and Adele had taken Stephen in, and made him feel loved and secure.
Caroline had even been happy; she’d been six, and although she was spoiled, she liked having Stephen to boss around and play with. It had only been later, when she decided her father was spending too much time with Stephen, that he might even prefer Stephen over her, that she’d become so possessive and contentious.
Most of the time, Stephen ignored her. He let her comments roll right off him. Sticks and stones, he’d told himself. Besides, going into battle with her would only have upset Elliott and wouldn’t have changed a thing.
But today, thinking about the past twenty-eight years, Stephen made a vow. If he saw that this new intended wife of Elliott’s was the real deal and that his brother was truly happy, he would do everything possible to make sure Caroline didn’t spoil things. If, on the other hand, Caroline was right and the fiancée really was a gold digger, then he might have to join forces with Caroline to drive the woman off.
It was almost four-thirty before he landed, a half hour later than he’d hoped to arrive. Torn between going to his house first so he could have a quick shower and a change of clothes before dinner, and seeing Elliott first, he decided he’d go home and simply give Elliott a call telling him he was there.
“Stephen!” Elliott said. “I thought you weren’t coming back till tomorrow.”
“I finished up early.” Stephen gave his brother a quick rundown on his trip, then said, “Caroline told me your news.”
“I’m sure she did.” Then Elliott’s voice lightened. “I can’t wait for you to meet Jill. Were you planning to come out for dinner?”
“If you want me.” Jill. So that’s her name.
“Of course I want you. Bring Emily, too.” Stephen had been dating Emily Lindstrom, who owned a dance studio in High Creek, for the past year.
“Emily’s still in Sweden. She won’t be back until Saturday afternoon.”
“If she’s not too tired, bring her out Saturday night, then. I thought I’d have a small party to introduce Jill to our friends.”
“Okay. What time do you want me tonight?”
“Dinner’s at eight. But come to the house early. We’ll have drinks and talk.”
“I’m looking forward to it. I have to admit, I was surprised about your engagement. You’re a sly fox. You never said a word.”
“I know. I’m sorry. But I…Well, I wasn’t sure about Jill and I wanted to wait until I was.”
“Oh?” So Elliott had his own doubts about the woman. That doesn’t sound good.
“No, it’s not what you think. I was always sure about my feelings for her. What I wasn’t sure about were hers for me. And I didn’t want anyone feeling sorry for me if she said no when I asked her to marry me.”
“I see.”
“Listen, when you meet her, you’ll understand.” His voice softened. “She’s wonderful, Stephen. I keep pinching myself. I still can’t believe she loves me.”
She’d better love you. She’d better not be the kind of woman Caroline thinks she is. “Tell me about her. How’d you meet her? And when?”
“It was on a trip to Austin in January. I—” Abruptly, he broke off. “What are you doing now?”
“I was thinking about taking a shower.”
“How about if I take a run into town? I’d rather talk to you in person.”
“Sounds good.”
Stephen took a quick shower and by the time he’d changed into khakis and a dark blue shirt, Elliott had arrived. The brothers hugged—something they did whether they’d been apart months or just days.
“Want a beer?” Stephen asked, heading for his small kitchen.
“Sure.” Elliott sat on one end of the black leather sectional sofa that took up the major part of Stephen’s living room.
Rejoining him a few seconds later, Stephen handed him a cold Dos Equis and sat across from him. “Now, tell me all about her.”
Elliott’s smile lit his entire face. “She’s special, Stephen. Really special. You’ll see. The moment I set eyes on her, I knew it.”
It gave Stephen pause to see how happy his brother looked. He hadn’t looked this happy since before Adele got sick. Jesus, he would kill this Jill if she hurt Elliott.
Stephen listened quietly as Elliott told him how he’d been walking from his hotel to a nearby restaurant during one of his business trips to Austin and how he’d spied this watercolor painting in the window of a gallery and how it had immediately caught his eye. “You know, the one I gave Caroline for her birthday. The mission.”
Stephen nodded. He did remember. He’d really liked the painting himself.
“It’s Jill’s painting,” Elliott said proudly. “When I went into the gallery to inquire about it, she was working there. She sold it to me.”
“So she’s an artist?”
“Among other things. She also teaches art at several elementary schools—well, she did. She gave her notice last week. She’s really talented.”
For some reason, that information made Stephen feel better about the unknown Jill. Although he knew a teacher could be just as devious as anyone else, at least she’d been working in a respectable profession.
“Anyway, she’s wonderful. I never believed in love at first sight, but that’s exactly what happened.” Elliott smiled sheepishly. “You probably think it’s ridiculous…a man of my age acting like a lovesick kid.”
“Of course it’s not ridiculous. And what do you mean, a man of my age? Hell, you’re in the prime of your life, Elliott.”
Elliott