The Rebel Tycoon Returns

Two

Macy had driven herself to the Texas Cattleman’s Club because she was meeting Abby later to move the flamingos. But also because she didn’t want to be too dependent on Chris getting her home. The dining room was traditional Texas with lots of big heavy dark wood pieces and portraits of the founding members on the walls.

She went to the bar area and ordered a glass of Chardonnay while she waited for Chris. She hated being alone in a public place. It didn’t matter that she’d grown up coming to this club. She felt so exposed because of her accident.

She felt as if everyone was watching her and whispering behind her back. She knew it was her imagination. But Royal was a town that was given to gossip and she hated to be fodder for it. When she’d been younger—before her accident—she’d tried to do daring things to make people notice her, but now she just longed to be invisible.

“Macy?”

She glanced toward the end of the bar where her father stood with one of his business partners. Her dad was one of the old guard at the club. But he was fighting to remain loyal after the scandal involving Sebastian Hunter a few years ago. His friend’s embezzlement had shaken him. Sebastian had tried to sabotage the very club he’d been a member of.

“Hello, Dad,” she said, turning to give him a kiss when he approached.

He lifted her chin and she knew he was looking for the scar that used to run the length of the left side of her face. Her dad had been the first one to see her after the accident. Her fiancé, Benjamin, didn’t think he could handle seeing her that way. So her father had come in and held her hand and told her that she was still his princess.

“Beautiful,” he said. He kissed her forehead.

She blinked back tears. “Thanks, Daddy.”

He handed her a handkerchief. Then pulled her close for a hug. She hid her face in his shoulder the way she used to when she was little and didn’t want to face something.

“What are you doing up here, Mace? Did I forget a dinner date for tonight?” Harrison asked.

“Actually, no. I’m meeting someone,” she said. She had no idea how he’d take the news that she was having dinner with Chris. So she decided to keep his name to herself. Chris had certainly changed since high school, but tonight she wanted the fairy tale. She’d felt like the Beast locked away for so long. Now she wanted to feel attractive and to enjoy being out on a date with a good-looking guy. She and Chris Richardson had always made a stunning couple.

“That’s good. I wanted to take you out to celebrate the removal of the last bandages, but you know how it is with work. I don’t keep banker’s hours.” She and her dad had been alone since her mother had died when Macy was a toddler. They celebrated things in their own way and on their own time. She knew he’d make it up to her.

“You never have,” she said. Macy was very aware of how hard her father worked. He owned one of the largest construction companies in Texas. And flew from Royal to other parts of the state most weeks. He also had his weekly poker game in Midland and a twice-yearly fishing trip with his college buddies.

The waiter called his name and he hesitated. “Do you want me to wait with you?”

She smiled at him. “No, I’m fine. Go on. I’ll see you at breakfast tomorrow.”

He hugged her quickly and then walked away. She turned back to the bar just as her wine arrived. She took a sip before glancing around the bar. Chris waved at her as he walked toward her.

“Sorry if I kept you waiting,” Chris said. “I’ll have a Lone Star beer,” he told the bartender.

“Right away, sir,” the man said.

“You didn’t. I was a little early. Since the accident I … I drive a little more slowly,” she said. There really wasn’t any part of her life that hadn’t been affected by it.

“You will have to tell me more about what happened. Mom knew some of the details,” he said. “Let’s grab a booth while we wait to be seated for dinner.”

She nodded and he led the way to one of the small intimate booths in the corner. Macy slid in and then waited while Chris did the same. He sat directly across from her and put his elbows on the table.

“So what happened? Mom said you’d been burned,” he said.

She shrugged. “No one’s really ever asked me about it before, because it was on the news.”

“Not in Dallas,” he said. “But then most of the stuff that happens here doesn’t make the headlines there.”

“I don’t know what to say except my car was hit by a long-haul trucker and that it was a mangled mess … all the rescuers said I was lucky to be alive.”

She held her hands loosely together, taking off the ring on her right hand and playing with it before putting it back on. She didn’t like to talk about the accident. To be honest, she remembered so little of it.

“I’m glad that you are such a lucky woman, Macy,” he said.

The bartender arrived with his beer. She studied him as he took a swallow from it. He hadn’t changed at all since high school—well, that wasn’t really true. He’d matured into his features; if anything, he was better looking today than he had been back then.

He arched one eyebrow at her and she flushed. “The years have been good to you,” she said, trying to find the words to ask him to forgive the immature girl she’d been.

“I can’t complain,” he said. “I’ve been working hard building my company, but I play hard too.”

“You mentioned that you are here for business.”

“That’s right. I’m doing consulting work for the expansion of the buildings here on the grounds.”

Macy tipped her head to the side and studied him. “Who asked you to do that?”

“Brad Price. We went to college together.”

“You went to UT Austin?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I thought you were going to get the hell out of Texas,” she said.

“Plans changed. I graduated at the top of our class … so it was cheaper for me to go to a Texas state university.”

“I forgot about that. Beauty and brains,” she said.

“Ah, no, you were always the beauty,” he said.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. That other girl she’d been was as foreign to her now as the thought of living anywhere other than Royal. “I was a little intolerable back then.”

“Not at all. You were pretty and confident. Every boy in school wanted you.”

“Not anymore,” she said. “And there was only one boy I wanted.”

“You had me, if that’s what you meant. Why aren’t you confident now?”

She realized that she was feeling a little bit funky tonight. Almost blue. She wasn’t about to say out loud that she was no longer pretty. Not to Chris. Especially when she realized that he might want a little revenge against her for the way she’d treated him back then.

“Just not as shallow as I used to be. After my accident, I started working with the kids in the hospital’s Burn Unit and I came to realize that true beauty has nothing to do with physical appearance.”

“What has it got to do with?” he asked, taking another long swallow of his beer.

“I can’t define it, but I do know that it comes from deep inside. I think it’s how a person deals with others,” she said.

He shook his head. “You sure have changed.”

His name was called for dinner before she could respond. She slid out of the booth and Chris put his hand on the small of her back as they walked toward the dining room. His hand was big and warm through the fabric of her sundress and she was very glad that she’d run into him today. Being with Chris tonight made her realize just how much she’d been missing.

Chris spent the evening realizing why he’d fallen for Macy in the first place. She was funny and lively and had the kind of dry wit that made him laugh. She was also very intelligent and just a little bit shy. The shyness was new. She used to be a different girl.

He guessed that was what the difference really was. Macy was a woman now and life had handed her more than a few surprises. He was almost afraid to trust the woman she was tonight. He’d been burned by her once before.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” she asked, taking a sip of her wine.

“You aren’t what I expected you to be,” he said, opting for the truth, as he usually did. When he’d first gotten into the development business he had run into vendors who’d say anything to make their company sound good. And Chris had set Richardson Development apart from them by always being up front and never promising what he couldn’t deliver. He did the same thing in his personal life.

“In what way?” she asked, leaning forward as if his answer was something she wanted to hear.

“Well, to be honest, when you dumped me I had sort of hoped the years would be unkind to you and that you’d get fat and sort of dumpy.”

“Are you disappointed I’m not?” she asked with a laugh. She had an effervescent laugh that made him smile. Just the sound of it was joy. Though to his ears it sounded a bit rusty. As if she hadn’t had much to laugh about in recent years, which he knew she hadn’t.

He shook his head. How could he wish for her to be anything but the beautiful, sexy woman he saw in front of him? Even in the August heat, she looked cool and untouchable.

“Not at all. But that’s not really why I was staring at you. When we were teenagers you seemed like a girl who was going to lead a charmed life, and I was noticing that you don’t seem bitter that you haven’t.”

She shrugged one delicate shoulder and a strand of her honey-blond hair fell forward; she reached up and tucked it back behind her ear. “I can’t change what happened, so there is no use lamenting it, right?”

“Not everyone would see it that way.” He realized she didn’t see anything special in the way she was, but he did. Nothing she said would convince him that she wasn’t heroic. He liked the way she seemed to have adjusted to the changes in her life and he was very glad he was the first man to take her out after her surgeries were complete.

“It’s just the way I am now. Plus, if not for the accident I wouldn’t have started working in the Burn Unit at the hospital.”

“You mentioned that before. Are you in the medical profession now?” he asked.

“No. But I’m the administrator of the Reynolds Trust.”

“What is that?” Chris asked.

“It’s a charitable organization that my father established after my mother died. They give money to different organizations, some relating to medical research and providing care for the uninsured. I took over after college. After I started volunteering in the children’s Burn Unit, I added it to one of our charities at the trust. I am also a financial analyst and work at my dad’s company.”

“You sound very busy. Do you enjoy your work?” he asked.

“I do. What about you? What is it like being a big real estate developer?”

“I do a fair amount of work around the state.”

“More than a fair amount. Every time I open the business page there’s a new project with your company’s name on it.”

“Do you think about me whenever you see them?” he asked.

“Maybe.”

“Never thought I’d make good, did you?” he asked. He’d spent more than a few late nights over the years thinking about Macy and wondering what she’d make of his success.

“I was young, Chris. I really didn’t think much about you and me, or the future.”

“We were both young.”

“I wasn’t sure enough to stand on my own … despite how confident I may have seemed at school,” she confessed.

He took a deep swallow of his beer, not wanting to comment on it. No matter his age, he’d fallen hard for Macy. “And now?”

“I don’t know, Chris. I’m just starting to figure out who I am. The accident made me reevaluate my life.”

“I can see that,” he said. “And now you’re one of the rabble-rousers trying to get the club to admit women to its roster.”

“Yes, I am. I think it’s time we shake things up in this part of Texas.”

Chris laughed at the way she said it. His business was headquartered in Dallas, which wasn’t at all like this part of Texas. Here, attitudes were slower to change and men were still men.

“It will be interesting to see what happens,” Chris said. He had a hard time imagining women as full-fledged members of the Texas Cattleman’s Club. The traditions of the club were part of what made it so exclusive.

“I think we will win. Women have always had a certain advantage when it comes to negotiating with men,” Macy said with a tip of her head and a wink.

Macy had always known how to get her way. Which was probably how he’d ended up dating her to begin with. But now he was older and wiser. He should know better, but he was still turned on by this woman. It wouldn’t take much manipulating on her part to make him want to please her.

“True enough. And the women in Royal know how to use it to their advantage.” He had experienced her powers of persuasion when they’d been in high school. He’d never been able to deny her a thing. Even when she broke up with him he hadn’t been sure it wasn’t his fault.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” she said.

“It’s not,” he said. Since the beginning of time women had figured out how to get men to do what they wanted and that was the beauty of the opposite sexes. “I always liked seeing you smile, so if I have to do something to make that happen again then I guess I’d do it,” he said. Even walking away from her, he’d done that to make her happy because her father had been making their lives hell back then.

“What about now? Still like my smile?” she asked. “My teeth have been professionally whitened and straightened and Daddy has always said I could charm the whiskers off a cat with this smile.”

He leaned in closer and put his hand under her chin, tipping her head to the left then the right, studying her very pretty mouth. “Can you frown for me?”

She chuckled but then pouted for him. He rubbed his thumb over her lower lip. “Now smile.”

She did and it was like taking a punch to the gut. He’d forgotten how powerful his reaction was to a true smile from Macy. And this was a true smile.

“Yes. I think it’s safe to say you still have some power over me with that smile.” Even after all this time. No other woman that he had met had affected him the way she had. He didn’t want to admit it, but he’d thought of her often over the years, and being here with her tonight was very fulfilling.

“I’ll have to remember that. How long are you in town, Chris?”

“At least the rest of August. I have a project that I have to oversee in Dallas that I will need to return to for September. Why, anxious to see me leave?” he asked.

“Not at all.” She leaned forward and rubbed her index finger over his knuckles. Then she looked up at him, her green gaze meeting his, and he felt everyone else in the dining room disappear. There was just the two of them.

“I would miss you if you left today,” she said. “I’m sorry we didn’t keep in touch when you left Royal. I think I missed out on seeing the best of you as you matured into the man you are today.”

“Me too,” he said. “I would have liked to see you before your accident so I would be able to tell you how much more beautiful you are now.”

He lifted her hand to his mouth and brushed his lips across the back of it. That little display of affection was really all that this conservative community would allow, but he wanted so much more from Macy, and this time he wasn’t going to leave without taking what he wanted.

“I’ve got a bone to pick with you, Richardson.” A booming voice jarred him back to the present. He looked up just in time to see Harrison Reynolds barreling down on their table like a Texas longhorn on a rampage.

He was a tall man with a big stocky build and he wore his success well with his nine-hundred-dollar boots and a Stetson on his head. If anyone looked as if he belonged in the club, it was Harrison.

Reluctantly, Chris let go of Macy’s hand. It seemed more than one thing hadn’t changed since he’d left Royal all those years ago. He wondered if he’d ever have enough money or be influential enough for Harrison to accept him. Because it was very clear to him that no matter what he’d done so far, Harrison Reynolds still didn’t believe Chris was good enough for Macy.

Macy glared at her father. Couldn’t she have one night that wasn’t marred by … what? Her father didn’t know that this was a date. He probably thought she and Chris were here discussing club business.

“What about, Harrison?” Chris said, turning that affable grin on her father.

She hadn’t realized that his smile was just part of an act and now she did. Was he playing her to maybe get back a little of his own after the way she’d dumped him? That hardly seemed likely since high school was eons ago, and Chris didn’t strike her as the kind of man to hold a grudge.

“Your prejudice against Reynolds Construction. Is there a reason why we aren’t good enough to win a place on any of your projects?” Harrison asked. He grabbed a chair from a neighboring table and sat down with them.

“Hello, Macy.”

“Hello, Dad,” she said.

“I’m sure you must have been high when you bid with us. I don’t give anyone preferential treatment,” Chris said.

“Bull. You and I have had past dealings, thanks to Macy here.”

“Harrison, I would never let anything stand in the way of making money. You should know that better than anyone. I’m sure your bids were too high. Stop by my office tomorrow and I’ll run through the records and see what we can find.”

Harrison nodded. “I’ll be there. I hear you are in the running to rebuild the headquarters and other parts of the club. I’d like a piece of that.”

“Dad,” Macy said, sounding extremely exasperated. It was clear she didn’t want to be sitting here with him while her dad tried to talk about business.

“Macy. Leave this to me and Christopher,” he said.

She rolled her eyes and once again tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ll be happy to, but you are intruding on my date. My first date in nearly three years, so I’d appreciate it if you’d move on.”

Her dad turned to her and she realized what she’d said. “Wait a minute. Did you say date?”

“Yes, I did,” Macy said a little defiantly.

“With Richardson?”

“He is the biggest developer in Texas, Daddy,” she said.

And just like that, Chris knew that, as the son of a working class man, if he hadn’t made something of himself, he wouldn’t be sitting here with Miss Macy Reynolds.

He shook his head. “I’m not sure how I feel about this.”

“Dad, don’t even think about saying anything else. This isn’t up for debate,” Macy said.

“Fine. We’ll discuss this tomorrow, Richardson.”

Her dad stood up and walked away as quickly as he’d joined them, and Macy could only watch him leave, incredulous that he’d managed to talk about business and threaten Chris in one breath. She never quite got used to her father and his larger-than-life business persona.

“Um … sorry?”

Chris laughed. “I don’t think anyone can apologize for that man. It was nothing. If my company is showing a bias against him then I need to know about it.”

“Okay. But what about us? I don’t want …”

“Things to be like they were before?” he asked. He didn’t have to be on CSI to figure out what she wanted. He wanted the same thing. A chance to date her and get to know her without her father and all of Royal looking on.

“Yes. I mean, I know they aren’t, but I wanted to make sure you knew. I’m sorry for the way I broke up with you,” she said, biting her lower lip as she waited for him to respond.

He nodded. “I am too.”

He smiled at her. He really liked this woman and her honesty. She was refreshing compared to the women he’d been dating lately who were always trying to be what he wanted them to be instead of just being themselves. Macy wasn’t like that.

“Not a problem. So, where were we? I believe you mentioned that you’d miss me if I weren’t here,” he said.

“Did I? I can’t remember. Why would I miss you?” she asked.

“Because we didn’t have a chance to really get to know each other when we were kids,” Chris explained. She’d always been the one girl he’d never been able to forget. He hadn’t spent the years pining over her or anything like that, but Macy would just pop up in his thoughts from time to time. Like in fall when the bluebells would blanket the fields near his office, he’d always remember the first time he kissed her and how sweet and innocent that kiss had been.

“You might be right. You were really into football back then,” she said. “I remember because that is how I first noticed you. Catching all those passes and making touchdowns. You gave me something to cheer about.”

“I remember you cheering me on to many touchdowns.”

“I sure did. My squad was the best … That sure was a long time ago. I thought the sun rose and fell on Royal and that the rest of the world was missing out on something,” she said.

“Did you ever leave?” he asked, and realized aside from the accident he didn’t really know much more about the “new” Macy.

“No. I like it here. I guess I’m just a small-town Texas girl at heart. I probably seem a little unsophisticated for the likes of you now that you’re a city slicker.”

“No one would ever call you unsophisticated,” Chris said. He thought that Macy hadn’t left Royal because she hadn’t needed to. She had always been part of the upper crust and she’d had more opportunities than he’d had.

“Well, I do read all the fashion magazines,” she said with a slight flush.

“And shop at the big stores?” he asked.

“Not recently. I … I really haven’t left the house much,” she said, putting a hand up when he would have interrupted. “I’m not saying that to make you feel sorry for me. I just read Vogue and Cosmo and InStyle and dreamed of a time when I’d look in the mirror again.”

He reached over and took her hand. Holding it in his bigger one. He stroked his thumb over her knuckles as a wave of strong emotion washed over him. Macy wasn’t putting up any barriers between them. He was getting the real woman and that made him want to protect her. To make sure that the vulnerable woman who was slowly rediscovering herself had the chance to grow. And he knew he would have to tread carefully with Harrison because he didn’t want Macy’s father to be an obstacle between Macy and him as he had been in the past.

“Surely you don’t have those doubts after today,” Chris said.

“I … I wish it were that easy, Chris, but to be honest, a part of me is still afraid of seeing the scars when I look in the mirror. Not sure I believe the reflection I saw was real.”

He reached up and stroked her cheek, though he knew better than to let this go too far in public. There was something fragile … almost broken … about Macy and he couldn’t let it go. No matter that she’d broken his heart in the past, he saw that she was a different woman now. “Let me tell you what I see.”

She nodded and held her breath, her pretty white teeth biting her lower lip as he stared at her face. And he wondered how bad her scars had been before the plastic surgery. He’d never met anyone who’d been in a life-threatening accident before.

He traced the high line of her cheekbone over her smooth alabaster skin. Her eyebrows were dark blond. “I see skin like the palest marble, so pretty and smooth.”

He moved his finger over her lips. They were full and plump, utterly kissable, and he longed to taste her again. “I see a mouth so pink and delectable it’s all I can do to resist kissing you.”

He rubbed his finger over the line of her jaw. “This strong jaw tells me that you still haven’t lost the stubbornness that’s always been a part of you.”

She gave him a little half smile. He ran his finger over the arch of her eyebrows—first one then the other. “These pretty green eyes watch me with a combination of weariness and curiosity. I don’t want to disappoint you.”