Ironically, the kidnapper’s letter left the Fortune home the same way it had arrived—in a plastic bag. The only fingerprints found on both the envelope and letter in the FBI lab were Ryan’s, because he’d risen unusually early Monday morning and, while restlessly wandering the house, had spotted the manila envelope sticking out from under the front door. Naturally he had opened it.
Early reports from the lab were not encouraging. The paper, envelope and glue were common items, available for purchase in countless stores throughout the country. There were no hairs or fibers to examine. Minute dust particles did seem to indicate that the package had been prepared in southeast Texas, but that clue was so broad that it was barely pertinent.
Ryan fired the night guards, who had literally fallen asleep on the job, and hired new men to watch the house. But his trust in hired guards had been badly damaged, and he himself began patrolling the grounds after dark at various intervals. He wasn’t sleeping well anyway, so every time he woke up at night he would go outside and take a walk around the house.
Ryan was suffering some sleepless nights, and he was beginning to wonder if things would ever return to normal. His divorce proceedings seemed to be at a standstill. Parker Malone was a brilliant attorney and a fighter, and he and his staff were doing everything legally permissible to move it along. But Sophia’s lawyers were every bit as tough as Parker, and they had the additional incentive of acquiring perceivable wealth. Obviously they were determined to get their share of the huge settlement Sophia had demanded.
The sordid battle sickened Ryan, and sometimes he wondered if he shouldn’t just give Sophia half of everything and get her out of his life, once and for all. But whenever those moments of weakness struck, so did stubbornness. Fortunes had never been quitters, and he could not let himself be the first Fortune to be taken for a ride by an unscrupulous woman. As head of the family, he had to remain strong to the bitter end.
Regardless of seemingly unsolvable problems to contend with, life had to go on. Dallas and Maggie’s upcoming wedding was a note of normalcy that Ryan welcomed. And there was something uniquely wonderful about it being a Christmas wedding. Decorations were going up, turning the ranch into a Christmas fairyland.
The sight of twinkling Christmas lights seemed to soothe Ryan’s frazzled nerves. For one day, at least, he and the family could perhaps put aside the pain of the kidnapping and the divorce, and enjoy themselves. He ardently hoped so.
It was a period of roller-coaster emotions for Maggie. As happy as she was in her own life, she couldn’t forget Claudia’s unhappiness. Picturing herself in Claudia’s situation, and Matthew’s too, of course, never failed to lower Maggie’s spirits, and it bothered her so much that she brought up the subject with Dallas on Tuesday, when he picked her up for the drive to Leather Bucket to take care of the “legalities,” as he’d described them.
“I couldn’t bear it if someone kidnapped Travis,” she told Dallas.
He understood where Maggie was coming from, but he couldn’t let her start their life together afraid that she had immediately put her son in danger by marrying a Fortune.
“Maggie, we can’t live in fear,” he said gently. “And the very worst thing we could do is make Travis afraid of every stranger that comes along. Bryan’s kidnapping was a terrible thing, but we are going to have to let Travis lead a normal life. He’s an active, naturally friendly little boy, and destroying those qualities by making him afraid of his own shadow would be a crime in itself. And you and I must also lead a normal life.”
“Can we?”
“Yes, Maggie, we can.”
“Are you as confident of that as you sound?” she asked. “At the hotel the other night I bared my soul to you, Dallas. I told you how hard I fought against letting myself love you, and I explained why it was so difficult for me to see you and me as a couple. We grew up on the same ranch, but nothing else about our lives was even remotely similar.”
“Yes, we discussed all that,” Dallas agreed.
“I think that what I’m getting at now is this—what is normal to you is not the same as what’s normal to me. I think I— I’m afraid again, Dallas. I had a lot of fears before our engagement, and then when I thought I’d lost you forever and had to finally face my own feelings, something happened and I forgot to be afraid of anything. But now… I just don’t know. Your family is so…complicated.”
Dallas heaved a sigh. “And there’s no way that I know of to change that, Maggie. The Fortunes have always been complex people. Their lives have been complex, are complex, and they wouldn’t have it any other way. Except for me and a few others, Maggie. You have to know by now that I’m really a very ordinary guy. I don’t give a hoot about big business or living anywhere but at the ranch.”
“You’re a multimillionaire,” she whispered, then cried, “Oh, Dallas, I’ve tried so hard not to think of your wealth—not to worry about it—but it’s everywhere I look. How am I going to make the adjustment from Maggie Perez to Maggie Fortune?”
“One day at a time, sweetheart, starting with our wedding day. And I’ll tell you something else, Maggie. Travis is going to grow up like any other ranch kid—just like you did, just like I did—and he’s going to be safe in our care. You’re an incredibly good mother, and I’m going to be the same kind of father.”
She drew in a long breath. “I have to stop worrying, don’t I?”
“Yes, my love, you do. We’re going to be happy, Maggie. I guarantee it.”
She smiled at him lovingly. “You’re very convincing.”
“Good, because I don’t hand out guarantees to just anyone,” he said, and sent her a smile of utter adoration. “I love you, Maggie.”
“I love you, Dallas.”
Lily’s daughter Hannah owned a boutique in San Antonio that specialized in all aspects of the perfect wedding, and Lily, with Maggie’s permission, enlisted Hannah’s aid in planning the Christmas wedding. With so little time to do much of anything, Maggie was impressed with Hannah’s ideas.
Hannah suggested a red, white and green color scheme, then asked, “Do you have your dress yet, Maggie? The color of your dress should set the standard for flowers, napkins, etcetera.”
Maggie thought of the beautiful silk dress that her mother had bought for her. “It’s the color of old ivory.”
“I can work with that just fine,” Hannah said confidently.
And so the wedding preparations went on, seemingly flowing around Maggie with only an occasional question about her personal preference on one thing or another. When she and Dallas had decided on a family-only wedding, she hadn’t realized what a Fortune family affair consisted of. She was startled by talk of a caterer and a live band. Then there was more shopping to do: Rosita needed a new dress, and Travis needed a suit. Dallas had insisted that Travis be part of the wedding party, and the little boy would stand by his new daddy’s side during the ceremony.
Maggie truly appreciated Dallas’s thoughtfulness toward Travis, but the rest of it was pretty confusing. Obviously her adjustment from Maggie Perez to Maggie Fortune had already begun. At times she still worried about it—how could she not? She was accustomed to watching every penny, and now more money was being spent on her wedding than she could have earned in three years.
And it was an extremely hectic time. She hardly saw Dallas after Tuesday. He was busy, she was busy. She took her mother and son shopping, and she spent every dollar of her hoarded money for some more new clothes for herself. Dallas had mentioned their going away for a honeymoon week or so after the wedding, and her current wardrobe was so pitifully limited. With all her money gone, it occurred to her that the only thing she was bringing to her marriage was herself. And Travis, of course.
By Friday— Christmas Eve—her sisters had arrived with their families for the big doings, and the Perez home was a madhouse. It was great seeing her sisters, but their kids were everywhere, running in and out of the house, and by bedtime Maggie was so keyed up she couldn’t even help decide on the sleeping arrangements. Rosita handled that with her usual efficiency, and Maggie and Travis were to sleep on the sofa that night. Frieda and her family were going to stay with Cruz and Savannah. Anita and Carmen and their husbands would use Rosita’s second and third bedrooms, and all the children would use sleeping bags and sleep on the floor in the kitchen.
It was all fine with Maggie, and she made up the sofa bed for her and Travis, and snuggled down with him. Only she was still on edge, and she knew why, too. She hadn’t seen Dallas even once today, and, in fact, she had barely spoken three words to him in days. Her own wedding plans were getting her down, she realized dismally, and she needed, almost desperately, a dose of Dallas’s reassurance that everything was going to turn out just fine.
When the kids finally stopped giggling in the kitchen about Santa Claus, and Travis was sleeping, Maggie got up, pulled on her robe—the only garment she had with her in the living room, other than the nightgown she already had on—stuck her feet in her slippers and quietly left the house.
The night air was cold, and she walked fast to keep warm. She was glad to see a lighted window in Dallas’s house, but she would have knocked on his door even without an indication that he was still awake.
It took a minute, but he finally opened it. “Maggie!” Taking her hand he pulled her inside. “You’re wearing a robe! Is something wrong?”
“It’s a long story,” she told him. “Let me sum it up by saying that I simply needed to see you.”
He put his arms around her and rocked her gently. “You’re letting all the hoopla get to you, aren’t you? Honey, didn’t you know this would happen?”
“No, I honestly didn’t. Perez family affairs are obviously very different from Fortune family affairs. Dallas, why didn’t we just go somewhere and get married by ourselves? We would have avoided all of this fuss and bother.”
“We couldn’t do that because both of our families would have been very hurt, Maggie. Picture your mother’s disappointment if we had eloped. We can deal with it, honey. By tomorrow night it will all be over. Think of it that way.” Leaning back from her he gave her a sensuously wicked grin. “Now that you’re here, let me show you my etchings.”
“They’re in your bedroom, of course,” Maggie said wryly.
“Where else would a man keep his etchings?” Chuckling, Dallas brought her to his bedroom.
During the next two hours she got all the reassurance she’d needed so badly, and by the time she finally slipped back into her parents’ home and into bed with her son, there wasn’t the smallest sign of edginess anywhere in her system.
Yawning contentedly, she fell asleep.
Everyone crowded into Ryan’s beautifully decorated library for the ceremony. When Maggie made her appearance on her father’s arm, she was astonished to see so many people. Apparently most of the Fortunes had shown up for Dallas’s wedding, and along with her own family, the library was a sea of expectant faces.
Then she saw Dallas, Travis and the minister waiting for her, and she smiled as her father led her over to them.
Dallas had never seen a more beautiful, more radiant bride, and he had to swallow hard to get rid of the emotional lump in his throat. He laid his hand on Travis’s shoulder, and Maggie saw the gesture and became very emotional herself.
Then she was standing next to Dallas, and the minister began speaking. The ceremony took no more than ten minutes, and Maggie received her first kiss from her husband. It was, she was certain, the loveliest wedding ever.
Turning, she and Dallas faced the crowd. People began coming forward, and they were both hugged and kissed until it became funny and everyone was laughing.
Finally the party began in earnest, and gradually, as people ate and drank and came over to talk to her, Maggie was able to put names with Fortune faces: Zane, Logan, Holden, Eden—people Maggie hadn’t seen in years. And they were so nice to her, welcoming her into the family. These people weren’t snobs, they never had been. But she sure couldn’t say that about herself. Why on earth had she believed so fervently that she wouldn’t fit in?
Dallas mingled awhile, then returned to her side. He put his arms around her and kissed her. Though he smiled lovingly, his eyes probed hers. “Are we happy yet, Maggie?”
“Yes, my darling, we’re very happy. Oh, Dallas, what can I say? I almost lost you, and I’ll never forget that.”
“We almost lost each other. I won’t forget it, either.” He smiled then. “Hey, where should we go for our honeymoon?”
“Surprise me, darling.”
“I thought you didn’t like surprises.”
“Did I say that? Well, I’m a changed woman, and you’re the fella who done it to me.”
“I’m also the fella that would like to do it to you again right now.”
They were still laughing when Rosita walked up. “What a lovely wedding this is!” she exclaimed. “Dallas, I am so glad that so many Fortunes came for the occasion.”
“Yes, well, they’ve always liked a good party, and it is Christmas,” he said with a chuckle. Spotting his father, he excused himself. “I’m going to have a few words with Dad,” he told Maggie.
“Of course, darling,” she murmured, then felt her mother staring at her. “What, Mama? Do I have dirt on my face?”
“Don’t be silly. I have something to tell you. Do you remember when I told you of my dream about Logan Fortune?”
“Yes, I remember. Why?”
“Well, do you also recall my predicting trouble for Logan?”
Maggie nodded. “Is Logan in some kind of trouble?”
“He could be. I just heard that he only recently discovered that he has a child—a little girl named Amanda Sue.”
“Really. And who’s the mother?”
“This is sad, but apparently she died quite suddenly.” Rosita became thoughtful. “I wonder what he will do about Amanda Sue.”
“I would hope that he would assume responsibility and take care of her,” Maggie said bluntly.
“Yes, but he is a bachelor, you know, and caring for a sixteen-month-old child would certainly change his lifestyle.”
“Tough toenails,” Maggie said. “If he knows Amanda Sue is his child, he should take her into his home and be a good daddy to her.”
“Well, we’ll just have to wait and see what he does.” Rosita smiled rather smugly. “Just don’t forget that I predicted it, Maggie.”
Maggie laughed. “No, Mama, I won’t forget.”
Rosita strolled off, and for the first time in hours Maggie found herself alone. With a furtive glance around to make sure no one was watching, she darted behind a huge fern and heaved a relieved sigh. The Christmas wedding was wonderful, but she needed a break from kisses, hugs and gushing enthusiasm. She was not accustomed to being the center of attention, and she was rather pleased with her temporary hiding place—
Dallas peeked around the fern. “There you are!” He crowded into the small area with her. “I’m about ready to blow this joint. How about you?”
“May we? I mean, is it all right if we leave first?”
“Honey, nobody expects the bride and groom to hang around for long. They all know what we really want to be doing. Let’s escape by the back door and go to my house. Travis is in good hands with your mother, and besides, every woman here adores him and the men think he’s a fine little guy.”
“I’m so proud of him, Dallas.”
“I am, too. He stood with us during the ceremony like a little man.”
“Dallas, I’ve been thinking about our honeymoon. I know I told you to surprise me, but…well, the idea of being away from Travis with a kidnapper on the loose is just too unnerving. Would you mind terribly if we postponed the honeymoon until the kidnapper is caught?”
“That could take a while,” Dallas said slowly. But he realized that as convincing as he’d been when he’d told her that Travis would be safe, she was still concerned. And could he blame her?
“I know that, darling. But everyone is so busy. I know Mama and Savannah and others have said they would watch Travis, but you know how he wanders. He needs almost constant supervision, and I wouldn’t relax for a second worrying about him.”
“Sweetheart, if you feel that strongly about it, then we won’t go anywhere right now.”
Maggie smiled adoringly. “Thank you. You’re a wonderful man.”
“And you’re a terrific lady. Now, this wonderful man wants your beautiful, sexy body. Are you with me?”
“Forever and always, my love, forever and always.”
Holding hands and giggling like two kids, they ran through the house and out the back door.
In the library, Rosita smiled to herself. They thought they’d made a clean getaway, but she’d seen them. Oh, yes, she’d seen them go off to be alone. Positive that bringing Dallas and Maggie together was her crowning achievement, Rosita’s bosom swelled with pride and self-satisfaction.
Life was good right now, she thought happily. Oh, my, yes, life was very good.