Riggs pulled down the long dirt lane that led to the ranch, trying to see it from Winona’s eyes. In her eyes, she’d probably be living in a hovel for a year. He wondered if she realized, or if it would even matter to her, that Henderson Grange was one of the largest parcels of land in Stone Ridge.
“You live here?” Winona said now as they approached.
Every muscle in him tensed and he’d been about to give her a smartass remark about her entitled celebrity status, when she continued, “It’s so big.”
“The Hendersons were one of the oldest and original ranching families in Stone Ridge.”
“Do you always talk about your family in the third person like that?”
“Cal and Marge were our foster parents that turned into real parents.”
That made her speechless again, so he continued.
“We don’t use all of the land for ranching, but we have about five hundred acres in total.” He pointed. “That stream divides our property on the western slope.”
“I can see I’m going to be taking long walks on this beautiful property.”
“Don’t get lost out there. And stay away from the livestock. They’re not friendly.”
“I know you believe I’m dumb as a post, but I promise you I know how to walk and everything. I even graduated from high school.”
While that wasn’t quite true, he chose not to call her on it. Late nights, he’d been researching the mother of his baby. Since she was famous, it was all public information and biographies were all over the Internet. She’d dropped out of her Oklahoma high school but obtained her GED later. The mother of his future son had led an interesting life.
Her mother had died when Winona was only ten, and she’d lived in a trailer park with her stepfather until age sixteen, when she’d self-admittedly lied about her age and married her first husband. She’d left that husband in the dust when she hitchhiked (again, bad choices) to a talent contest in Nashville, which she’d won.
Since then she’d won several Country Music Association awards over the years and had two number one hit songs. Both had been years ago. Since he’d been occasionally forced to listen to country music, through no fault of his own, he’d heard the songs. Both upbeat tunes, not a single ballad in the mix. She’d claimed many of her songs to be semi-autobiographical, including one about keying her cheating boyfriend’s truck. He’d be paying close attention to his truck from this point forward.
He pulled said truck up the circular driveway of the ranch-style home instead of the barn up the hill where he usually parked. Not for the first time, he wished the house was larger, if for no other reason than she could stay on one side and he on the other. But he also wouldn’t mind impressing her a little. Because he hadn’t been able to impress her with their rings. They were two simple gold bands, to remind her this was a practical arrangement. Nothing fancy or romantic. He’d bet her shoes were worth more than the gold band he’d purchased.
She had more wealth and financial stability to offer their son, but he wasn’t a slouch in that department. Money just wasn’t everything. He intended to prove to her that he’d do a good job raising their child on his end because he wasn’t foolish enough to believe that both she and her attorney would keep their half of the deal not to sue him for full custody after their divorce. He’d agreed to that, and forced them to do the same, but contracts were violated often, and it just meant more time and money spent in court.
She’d have a hell of a fight on her hands if she decided to sue for sole custody, but that wouldn’t make it any less of an irritation to him. He’d left his law career for a reason. Though he loved the law there were too many loopholes, and the day he realized he’d make his living exploiting those, he quit.
“Listen,” he said. “For now, we have to share a bedroom.”
He caught the panic clearly etched in her bright eyes and hated that she disliked him this much. But he’d essentially brought this on himself, hadn’t he?
“Calm down. I won’t actually sleep with you, but this has to look good. Until I figure out how I can realistically give you the spare bedroom. We’re supposed to be madly in love newlyweds.”
“You snore.”
“No, I don’t.”
“How would you know? You’re asleep. And I’m just givin’ you a reason why you might give me my own bedroom.”
That actually made a lot of sense. “Just might work.”
“See? I’m good for somethin’.”
She was good for a lot of things, not the least of which was driving him crazy. Something about this woman teased his lesser self. That bottom-dweller mentality he thought he’d left behind. Obviously, he hadn’t done so. He just used legalese now instead of his fists.
“But for tonight, we’re goin’ to have to pretend. After I know that everyone’s asleep, I’ll go sleep in the spare room.”
With that, he came around to help her down from the passenger side of the truck. He offered his hand even if no one was looking because he wanted her to know that despite all the fighting, he thought they could possibly get along. It was only eight months or so. He was a reasonable person, and since she’d agreed to his demands, he’d been placated for now. There had to be some redeeming qualities to Winona Jones, because she’d come a long way from the trailer park.
Somewhat reluctantly, he respected her for all her accomplishments and only wished he hadn’t had to research his wife. Two people who were about to have a child together should know each other a hell of a lot better than they did. Hopefully, she’d take the time to get to know him, too, the father of her child. He was miles out of his comfort zone, getting married again at forty-two, and would attempt to be a decent husband. It would all be worth it when he met his son. And as long as Winona didn’t pick some ridiculously trendy name like Eleven, or name him after a fruit, he’d go along with whatever she chose.
Riggs led her to the front door, hand low on her back. Inside, Delores had a cake and a full meal ready. He’d told her not to make a big fuss because he and Winona had both been married before and were old enough not to need any fanfare. But Delores lived for fanfare. He didn’t have the heart to stop her from baking all night. He’d seen the elaborate cake this morning, and it was entirely pink, because she’d read that was Winona’s favorite color.
Before he opened the door, he thought maybe he should apologize. All along, after discovering her pregnancy, he’d taken control without caring what she thought or wanted. He regretted being a grump, but she’d hit him where it hurt. The thought she’d take away his child, the thought she didn’t think him worthy to raise their child…that stung. And as always when stung, he retaliated. Sooner or later, he’d have to stop that, but it went against his nature to let others walk all over him. Even a beautiful and wealthy woman who could do a lot better than him.
“Look,” he said at the front door. “I should apologize before we walk inside. There hasn’t been a wedding in our family in two decades, and Delores is excited. She may have decided, on her own, that we should have a party. I want you to know I tried to talk her out of it.”
“Why would you do that?”
“I’ve already pushed you hard enough. Wouldn’t really blame you if you didn’t want anything to do with any of us.”
She tipped her chin. “I’m always up for a party.”
That gave him pause, because she had a well-documented history of drinking. This was a sensitive issue for him given Jenny. But he couldn’t imagine that Winona, who obviously desperately wanted a child, would do anything to risk their baby’s health. Still, he’d neglected signs once before. Jenny had also wanted the baby. He mentally shook his head and put the idea out of his mind.
Holding open the door for her, he waited for her to walk inside. He observed as she paused in the granite floor foyer and took it all in. She also seemed to be waiting for some kind of permission and glanced back at him, an uncertainty wavering in her eyes that completely threw him.
“Welcome!” Delores appeared, threw her arms open, and Winona easily went into them. “Sean put your luggage in the bedroom, and I want you to just relax. Kick off your heels. I know how you appreciate your privacy, but we’re havin’ a little family party, and I made y’all a cake.”
She led Winona into the separate dining room with a large farmhouse table. The pink two-tier cake sat in the middle of a spread of country cooking. A ham, chicken fried steak, Delores’s famous fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, grits, buttered rolls, corn, green beans, and several pies in addition to the cake.
“Oh my, this is so nice of y’all,” Winona said. “I’m so happy to be here.”
He noted it was the same thing she’d said the night of her performance. Say what you wanted to about Winona James, she could sure put on a show. But then again, so could he.
“It will take us two months to eat all this food,” Riggs said, reaching for Winona’s hand.
She nearly jumped in surprise and gave him a wary look. This had to look real, damn it. Had she already forgotten?
“Not with all you cowboys,” Delores said, waving them to the table. “I bet the food doesn’t even last much past tomorrow.”
“Alright, are we eatin’ yet?” Sean walked in, rubbing his hands together.
“Not until we cut the cake,” Delores said, waving him away. “It’s a weddin’ cake.”
Riggs led Winona to the wedding cake, and she squealed in surprise. He honestly didn’t know whether that was real or fake delight.
“It’s all pink,” she gushed. “Oh, thank you, Delores!”
He wanted to whisper that she didn’t have to lay it on so thick, but he’d just noticed the inscription on the cake:
Riggs and Winona Henderson
True Love
There were red and white hearts on both sides. Guilt pulsed through him at the lie he’d perpetrated and for a moment he wondered if he should take Delores into his confidence. She’d understand that these things happened, two people hooking up out of loneliness and need. Definitely not true love. More like hot sex. But Delores had been like a second mother to him, and he’d rather not confess to that incredible lapse of judgement on his part. The other problem was that Delores didn’t know how to keep a secret.
“Hurry up and gimme a piece of that cake then,” said Sean, hopping on Riggs’s last nerve.
“Sean!” Delores said. “Behave.”
“Well, did you make it so we could stare at it all day, or are we actually goin’ to eat some?”
“The bride and groom have to cut the cake and have the first piece.” Delores handed the cake cutter to Winona.
“This is almost too pretty to disturb.” She took the cake cutter and poised it.
“Please, disturb it,” Sean added and then an “oof” sound after Delores elbowed him in the gut.
Riggs remembered this part, and obviously so did Winona. When he laid his hand on hers as she cut the first slice, she glanced up at him with the hint of a smile. They cut a slice and did the obligatory feeding it to each other. When she took a bite out of his hands, she licked some frosting off his finger, and his dick twitched with a memory of that tongue. He swallowed hard, wishing he could dislike her more. Wishing that she weren’t so damn beautiful. It would be difficult enough living with someone who would count the days until she could leave his family, and he sure had no plans to repeat the performance that got him here in the first place.
Besides, he liked her far better when she was yelling at him.
They eventually sat down to eat the banquet Delores had prepared and Winona entertained them all with memories of the Grand Ole Opry.
“Did you ever meet the one and only Johnny Cash?” Delores asked wistfully.
“Just once.”
Then she told them about meeting Dolly Parton, her hero, and how kind and generous she’d been. She’d taught her that a professional had time to be nice to everyone and should take the time to acknowledge each fan. Riggs had witnessed that skill in action the night he’d knocked her up.
“Did you ever have a chance to meet any rock stars?” Sean shared Riggs’s own taste in music.
She paused, her fork poised before her mouth. Dear Lord, that mouth. It was full and sensual, the lower lip slightly fuller than the top.
“I met Mick Jagger once,” she said. “He made a pass at me.”
“Of course he did,” said Sean. “I will go to my grave admiring that man.”
“He’s very sweet and very British. I could hardly understand a word he said but he claimed that I was the one with the accent.”
“What was it like being married to Jackson?” This question earned Sean a glare from Delores.
“Big mistake. He’s such a sweetheart and he obviously never got over Eve. We were just good friends who should have never been married in the first place. I regret it.” She slid Riggs a look. “I think marriage should be forever.”
“In a perfect world,” Riggs grumbled quietly.
“I can see the love between you two, just firin’ off and sparkling like cannon balls on the Fourth of July,” Delores said. “I’d bet my life savings on you two lasting forever.”
“Well,” Winona said. “I believe it, too. I love him, of course.”
“What do you love most about him?” Delores pressed.
Riggs really wished she wouldn’t. Winona knew little about him other than he was strong enough to hold her up against a wall, could wield a hammer, had his law degree, and didn’t shoot blanks.
“I love that he’s so honest,” she said, scoring a direct hit. “And, of course, traditional. You don’t meet many men like him in show business. He insisted we get hitched…in a church.”
“Riggs was brought up the right way,” Delores said. “He’s a good man.”
“Guess Winona is about to find out how good,” Sean added. “Heh, heh, heh.”
Delores sent him her withering, you’re-never-too-old for my switch look. “And what do you love about Winona?”
All eyes were on Riggs. Sean had a sly grin on face, showing Riggs he had a real good feeling exactly what he loved most about Winona.
He reached under the table for her hand. “I love how she listens to me. And how she takes such good care of her man.”
She squeezed his hand, but with an I-wish-I-could-hurt-you death grip. He gave her a satisfied grin, having scored his own hit.
Delores stood. “And now let’s adjourn to the living room, because it’s time for your first dance as a married couple.”