Fortune's Vengeful Groom

“On the contrary. I accomplished my goal.”

“Which was?”

“You wouldn’t approve, Sir Galahad.”

His brother sighed. “So, how is Eliza?”

Beautiful, sexy, cold as ice. “She hasn’t grown fangs or anything.”

“Ah, still a knockout.”

Reese didn’t answer.

“Hey, I’m on your side, Reese. We’re family. But I liked Eliza from the moment I met her.”

“You only met her one time.”

“True, but I could tell she was crazy about you. I thought you were a lucky man. And Pops, well, he wanted you to sort out your life, Reese.”

“That’s what I’m doing. I plan on getting her out of my life.”

There was a long pause. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

Reese let out a bitter laugh. He knew his brother only meant well, but what option did a man have when his wife walked out on him without any explanation. She’d kept their marriage a secret because she’d been ashamed of him and his status in life and feared her family wouldn’t approve. She didn’t care enough about him to fight for what they had. He’d been broke, making his way through the rodeo circuit and pouring all of his money into his venture. But Eliza hadn’t stuck around long enough to see his dream come true. When she’d had enough, she’d simply walked out. Without taking a backward glance. Well, he’s making her take a good long look now. “I’m sure.”

“Okay,” Garrett said quietly, and Reese knew his brother only had his welfare at heart. “Hey, want some good news?”

“Shoot.”

“We had a blowout in Cinder Basin. A real gusher. Your instincts were right on. That makes seven straight oil strikes, Reese.”

Reese’s mood lifted. “Pops would’ve liked to hear the news.”

“He knows, Reese. He’s overseeing our operation from up above.”

“Yeah.”

Reese had ridden the rodeo circuit to sustain his dream, using his winnings to help finance his venture as a wildcatter. He’d worked long and hard coming up with nothing but dry holes his first three years. The standing joke was that he couldn’t find oil in a gas station. But then his luck changed and his rigs started paying off. He became a respected oilman, hitting five straight blowouts that year, and his success continued to mount every year, his ratio of blowouts to dry holes ten to one. It hadn’t taken him long to form his own company—Parker Explorations being one of the most prosperous oil companies in Montana.

“Thanks for the call, Garrett. I’ll be dreaming of black gold.”

“You’re going to need it with that house you’re building.”

Reese agreed. “Yeah, it’s a money pit, but it’ll be perfect when I’m through.”

“Perfection has its drawbacks at times.”

How well he knew that. At one time he’d thought he’d found the perfect woman, the perfect wife. They were to have the perfect life. Eliza had crushed that idea and left him a broken man. It had taken him a long time to dig himself out of that hole. But now he was back on top and nothing was going to stop him. He had the perfect plan for getting back at his wife.

“Yeah, but when you get it right, there’s nothing that compares to it.”

Two

“Here are the books you requested, ma’am.” Ivy Woodhouse, the Fortunes’ chef, handed Eliza three cookbooks as she sat in the great room just off the kitchen. “Are you sure you don’t need my help for that special meal you’re cooking tonight?”

Eliza glanced up at Ivy. “No, but thank you for the offer. I plan on doing this myself,” she said.

Even if it kills me, she thought. She couldn’t risk having the cook or anyone else around when Reese came over tonight. “In fact, since my father and Patricia won’t be home this evening, why don’t you take the night off.”

Ivy’s brows rose in surprise and she paused briefly before answering. “Thank you. Shall I set the table for you, miss?”

“I’ll take care of it. Enjoy the night off, Ivy,” she said as the cook thanked her again and left the room.

Eliza leaned back against the sofa, planning her dinner outside on the veranda, where no one would bother them. She remembered the chills she’d experienced last night when Reese had joined her on the hotel terrace. Most of what she’d felt had little to do with the weather. She’d been shocked and then angered by his appearance, which she believed was the exact reaction he’d wanted from her. He’d made her darn uncomfortable last night.

Now she had the chance to return the favor. If she could make Reese uncomfortable enough, maybe the evening would end quickly. She’d be willing to endure a slight frost to get rid of Reese. His presence here in Sioux Falls made her jumpy, but having him show up at her home tonight could surely do her in.

As luck would have it, her father and stepmother had dinner plans this evening. As for the rest of the family…hopefully they wouldn’t make an appearance, either.

Eliza opened a cookbook and began flipping pages.

Her father took a seat in his wide velvet-tufted wing chair, facing her. “Good morning, honey.”

Eliza lifted her face and smiled. “Hi, Dad.”

Nash Fortune, never one to miss a sign, sent a worried look her way. “Tired today?”

“Not really,” she said, telling a little fib. She’d spent a restless night worrying about what Reese’s appearance in Sioux Falls might mean, and she feared the lying would only continue.

“You worked very hard last night, Eliza. The fund-raiser was a huge success. And, as a father, I couldn’t be more proud of what you managed to accomplish.”

“Thanks, Dad, but it wasn’t all me. I had a great deal of help and—”

“And you’re the one with the ideas, the guts to pull it together, to make it all work, right down to the final dotting of the i’s and crossing of the t’s. I understand you’ve outdone yourself this year, bringing in more money than the museum had ever hoped.”

“Yes, I’m happy we raised the funds they needed for the repairs.”

“The gentleman who bid on your dinner put you over the top.”

Eliza slammed the cookbook closed, took a deep breath, then nodded.

“Do you know who he is? Where he’s from?”

Eliza’s heart raced with dread and she cursed Reese for putting her in this position. Her mind fumbled around for just the right words. “Montana, I believe. He’s passing through Sioux Falls.”

“Just passing through?” Her father scratched his head, then furrowed his brows in a gesture Eliza knew so well. When Nash Fortune wasn’t buying something, he couldn’t hide the expression on his face. His instincts were usually right on, but the man didn’t have a poker face. “Why would he donate so much money if he had no stock in Sioux Falls? No one I questioned seemed to know.”

Eliza clenched her teeth. Her father had asked people about Reese Parker? “It’s a good tax deduction,” she said, keeping her comments noncommittal, “and a wonderful cause, Dad. Maybe he’s generous by nature.”