“He said to thank you for the beautiful meal. Now, if you’ll excuse me,” Elizabeth said, withdrawing a pin and shaking out her hair as she headed for her room, “I’m tired.”
“Good idea. I mean, will you look at the time. Past nine o’clock.”
Elizabeth served Nita a fond but stern glare as she passed. “It’s been a long day.”
“That’s all right. That’s fine.” Nita stared at the ceiling as if she had nothing better to do. “If you don’t want to tell me what happened …”
Elizabeth held her looping stomach and groaned. “You don’t want to know.”
“I’m the best listener in and around these parts.” With an understanding smile, she presented the cups of hot chocolate. “Made ‘em when I heard his car.”
Knowing when she was beaten, Elizabeth lowered herself onto a nearby settee.
She took the cup her friend offered and held the warmth between her palms. But rather than spill all about her time outside with Daniel, something even more important begged to be voiced.
“Were you surprised by my parents’ will? Did Mom ever speak to you about it?”
“To my mind, it was more your dad’s idea.” Nita sat back and rotated the cup around in her work-worn hands. “The ranch was built up through his side of the family. Grandpa Milton was a hard man. Always talking about the responsibilities your father would need to step up and accept once he passed on. Guess your father had that in mind when he drew up that clause.”
“He should have known I’d never give up the ranch. This is my home.”
“You were always one to see where adventure might take you.” She lifted the cup to her mouth. “Maybe things haven’t changed so much.”
Elizabeth knew the point Nita was making. She couldn’t argue that the idea of experiencing something different and exciting had encouraged her to invite the New York architect here tonight. And, admittedly, matters had got a little out of hand when their opposing opinions had clashed and heated emotions flared.
But a kiss in the dark was far from running away and turning her back on her duty.
“I would never let my parents down,” she said to herself as much as to Nita. Never.
And yet sometimes … Trying to swallow the lump caught in her throat, Elizabeth concentrated on her cup. “Do you ever wonder whether that caveat in their will was fair?”
“I don’t know if that’s the question you should be asking.” Nita tipped forward. “Beth, you’d still have plenty to live on if you decided to walk away. One thing’s a constant. Nothing ever stays the same.”
“In these past years, I’d never thought beyond living here, giving it my best, making it work. One day I’d like to marry, have a family.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Elizabeth found a smile but then sobered. “Would my parents expect me to put the same ultimatum in my will?” She’d taken on the challenge to hold on to where she’d come from, who she was. But could she pass that heavy baton on to her own daughter or son? Would they hate her for it if she did?
When the lump in her throat grew all the more, Elizabeth growled at herself. “Lord, I’m all muddled tonight.”
“A good-looking man will do that to you. A nice man, too, seems like. Intelligent,” Nita went on, matter-of-factly. “Amusing—”
“Daniel Warren’s life is in New York City,” Elizabeth cut in, pushing to her feet. “Anyway, we’ve known each other a day.”
Nita nodded as if that must be a consideration. “Do you know I was almost married?”
Elizabeth sat back down. “You never mentioned.”
“I was with a bunch of girlfriends at a nightclub in Dallas, celebrating my twenty-first. He stole my heart the moment our eyes met. We danced all night and when he took me home, he cupped my cheek and kissed me. I thought I would faint for sure.” Misty-eyed, Nita sighed. “I knew it would be him or no one. When he asked me to marry him two weeks later, I said yes.”
Elizabeth was on the edge of her seat. “What happened?”
“He was drafted.” Nita’s mouth tightened and she pushed her glasses back on her nose. “Never made it home.”
Her heart sinking, Elizabeth took the older woman’s hand. “Oh, Nita, I’m sorry.”
“Thing is, I’d rather have those two wonderful weeks than a lifetime as Mrs. Someone Else.” As the faraway look evaporated, she cleared her throat and got to her slippered feet. “Best let you get to bed. Sweet dreams, Beth.”
As Nita left her alone in the big room with its heavy timber furniture and portrait of Grandpa Milton hanging on the wall, Elizabeth leaned back into the cushions. The feelings Nita had for her young man must have been fierce. As fierce as the passion Daniel had coaxed from her tonight?
Bald truth was she wanted to see Daniel again. But given the way he’d left tonight—with an apology for weakening and kissing her when he hadn’t meant to—would he want to see her?
Gnawing her lower lip, Elizabeth’s frown slowly eased into a smile.
Maybe she could help him decide.
The next morning, dying for coffee, Daniel entered the Royal diner. The concierge at the hotel must have passed on the same recommendation to his crew. Rand sat in a corner booth near the jukebox, polishing off a plate of ham and eggs. As Daniel crossed over, the younger man lifted his fork in greeting.
“Hey, we missed you at dinner.”
Sitting down heavily, Daniel suppressed a yawn. He hadn’t slept a wink last night.
“I left a message,” he said, signaling the waitress.
Grinning, Rand finished munching a mouthful of toast. “You had a better offer?”
“Something like that.”
“I’m guessing from that doll in the fur.”
“Her name’s Elizabeth Milton.”
“Whatever her name, from the look, she didn’t take you back to her trailer for soda and chili dogs.”
The waitress brought over a cup and poured a steamy black coffee that smelled like heaven. “What’ll it be, sugar?”
“Coffee’s good,” he said, sliding the menu aside.
He’d been told anything ordered here was tasty and filling, but his appetite was lost, wondering what Nita had whipped up for breakfast this morning. Not to mention his obsessing about whether Elizabeth had tossed and turned all night, too.
He hadn’t been able to get that confounded kiss out of his head.
Of course, that could never happen again, Daniel told himself, scalding his tongue on a long pull from his cup. He was having a hard enough time making this trip a positive experience without throwing a gorgeous heiress held to ransom by her deceased parents into the mix.
Was he ever pleased that part of his past—having no say in where he went, how long he stayed—was well behind him. After the constant struggle of being shuttled between homes, between states, no way could he tolerate Elizabeth’s situation. And while nothing would change the fact that he found Miss Milton beyond attractive and interesting and charming, truth was he’d lost a little respect for her. If his parents had tried to blackmail him like that at her age, he’d have told them to go to hell in a handbag.