He was with Slade every day and Slade sent reports to Vivian, but other than a text Monday morning and their chat last Friday afternoon, Mike hadn’t talked to her since he was hired on. She seemed to have an even smaller part in the ranch than Thane had led him to believe. Slade hadn’t said yet when he would hand in his resignation and Mike didn’t ask questions. He liked it here, liked the work, the feel of the dirt under his boots, the people. If Thane had been able to come home, the job would have been perfect.
Mike wondered what the evening ahead would be like. Whether it’d be as awkward as he predicted, his being in a fancy club among rich folk. Mike never forgot his status in life and Vivian’s: a cowboy and a billionaire heiress.
He wondered if Clint Woodson would accept that Vivian was going out with her future foreman. Mike hoped he did so this charade would end quickly.
Vivian didn’t seem bothered by the monetary difference in their lives, but she knew full well that he worked for her and she was worth billions more than he was. Heck, she was buying his dinner tonight and it bothered him slightly. Even though they were a low income family, his dad had instilled a strong sense that a man should pay. He had always said to Mike and his brothers, “Never take money from a woman. It’s a man’s place to pay, not the woman. It doesn’t work out well if a man marries a woman with way more money than he has. Look at your uncle.” Mike’s uncle had had a messy divorce from a wealthy woman with lots of ill feelings between the families afterward.
Growing up, Mike had heard plenty about the man paying the woman’s way and it was ingrained into him to the point it didn’t matter what Vivian thought. He had always agreed with his dad on the topic. It seemed right for the man to pay. He had known some low-life guys in college who let the woman always pay and that hadn’t impressed him, Even when his dad died and times got really tough, he still grew up following his dad’s teachings. In high school there were times he went hungry before he’d let a woman pay. There was an older teacher who knew his circumstances at home the year his dad died, and she would try to buy his lunch occasionally, He always turned her down even if it meant going hungry. When he rang the bell at the mansion, Henry opened the door. The butler/bodyguard was in a white shirt, a tan sports jacket and dark brown slacks. His collar was unbuttoned.
“Come in, Mike,” Henry said, stepping back to hold the door and then closed it behind Mike. “Vivian is waiting. She told me she asked you to take her out. I’m glad. I’ve never trusted Clint.” He held out a small slip of paper, which Mike took. “Here’s my cell phone number. My wife and I are going to dinner in Dallas with your driver Ben and his wife.” He explained that after Ben dropped them off at the charity ball he was meeting them at a restaurant in town. “But we won’t be far should you need the limo or us for any reason,” he added.
“Have you ever had trouble with Clint Woodson?”
Henry shook his head. “No, I haven’t. He doesn’t look the type to cause real trouble, but I promised Thane I’d watch out for Vivian and I’m keeping that promise even though you’re with her.”
“Thanks.” Mike looked down at Henry’s cell phone number and memorized it. Then he put the paper in his jacket pocket. “We won’t be out late.”
“Do what you want. I figure you can take care of yourself. We shouldn’t have any trouble, but I’m not taking a chance. This guy has been obnoxious when he thought she was alone, but I think he’ll stop trying to see her now that you’re here. Slade couldn’t deal with him. You can, and he’ll know it the minute he sees you. And if he thinks Vivian wants to go out with you, the man should be smart enough to leave you alone. Every guy on this ranch knows you were a US Army Ranger and that means everyone in the county that has any interest in this ranch knows you were a ranger. Just like they all know I was a marine. That includes Clint. He isn’t going to aggravate you.”
“I don’t think he will, either.”
“I just want to be around if we’re needed.” He motioned Mike down the hall. “Vivian is in the study. I’ll show you where.”
“No need. I remember,” Mike said, moving past Henry. He walked down the hall, turned a corner into the main hall and walked to the open study door. Knocking on the open door, he glanced around the room and saw Vivian by a window. He inhaled deeply, his gaze riveted on her as she turned and smiled at him.
She wore a sleeveless red gown of some soft material that clung to her curvy body and revealed her slender figure and tiny waist. In the low-cut V-neckline, the diamond pendant from Thane sparkled. With that one glance, all Mike’s peace of mind over the past few days shattered. He thought he would remember how she looked in this moment for the rest of his life.
“You’re gorgeous,” he said as she walked up. He realized what he had said to her and hurried to correct himself. “I’m sorry, I know we should keep this evening impersonal.”
Her melodic laugh eased the tension he felt. “Don’t worry, Mike. Thane is gone and he wouldn’t be angry if you complimented me, anyway. A compliment is welcome, especially from a good-looking guy, so don’t apologize. We’re friends, or I hope we will be, because right now we barely know each other. A compliment between friends is always welcome.”
He relaxed a fraction, relieved that she had taken his admiration lightly and could laugh about it. Laughter, however, wasn’t what he was feeling. He couldn’t stop looking at her. She was so stunning that his heart was racing. He didn’t want that kind of reaction when looking at his friend’s wife. He felt an obligation to Thane to keep a distance from Vivian. It didn’t matter that much that she was a widow. He felt honor bound to keep his distance. Thane didn’t hire him to come home and seduce his wife.
All evening he would be with Thane’s gorgeous, breathtaking wife who made his pulse pound and heated the room another ten degrees by being there. And he would have to relax and look as if he was enjoying himself or Clint Woodson would never be fooled.
Could he do that?
Before he could answer, Vivian’s question broke into his thoughts. “The limo is ready, so shall we go?” she asked.
“Sure,” he said, walking beside her, but taking care to leave space between them. “Your necklace is beautiful. Thane chose well,” he said, thinking more about her than the necklace.
She touched it with perfectly manicured red fingernails. “I will always treasure this. I don’t expect to ever marry again. Thane was the love of my life even though we didn’t have much time together.”
“You’ll marry again,” Mike said, unable to keep from smiling at her.
“I’m not going to argue that point tonight. I’m happy to go out, and I think this will stop Clint from pestering me and that’s an enormous relief.”
“You could have found some cowboy on the ranch to do what I’m doing.”
She shook her head. “Clint would never have believed that I was doing anything except trying to avoid him. It wouldn’t have stopped him. This, however, most likely will stop him. You’re an unknown factor and you’re good-looking and—”
“Thank you,” he said, nodding at her.
“Well, that’s a fact. But you have something about you that says ‘don’t mess with me.’”
Mike couldn’t help the slight chuckle that rose from his chest. “This is going to be an interesting evening. I feel as if I’m going to get my fortune told.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I have no idea about your future. I’m merely an artist and I’m observant and I’ve painted portraits of scores of people. I’ll draw your picture if you want,” she said, and he knew she was teasing him.
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