A Lone Star Love Affair / Falling for the Princess: A Lone Star Love Affair / Falling for the Princess

“Damnation. You’ve already told her you would, haven’t you?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “So you nullified one of my immediate threats.”

“Yes, I did, because I love my sister. And I’m not cutting her out of my life. You and Mom can spend your holidays together as you see fit. I’ll see Sydney.”

“I never thought I’d see this day. I knew it was possible. Especially these last few years when you’ve had success after success. Dammit, Tony.”

Tony smiled and sat in silence, still reveling in his triumph, recalling dreams as a boy of moments like this.

“So you’ll help Sydney. Therefore, my threats are losing their punch. No wonder she’s not taking my calls. Dammit, Tony,” he repeated.

“If you try to cause Sydney trouble when she graduates—and I imagine you will—all you’ll succeed in doing is driving her to move away. You’ll lose her completely—and any grandchildren she might give you. She is already looking into where she can live when she finishes school. The places she’s considering are far from here.”

“I have to hand it to you. I’m impressed. I never thought I would see the day you could successfully tell me what to do and I would have to think about doing it.”

“Learned how from you,” Tony remarked casually. Silence fell and Tony sat swirling the glass of wine he had barely touched. He let his father ponder the transfer of power.

“Well, it’s a new concept to think I might have to back off. You know it’s a notion I don’t like. Your mother may be another matter. She doesn’t want this young man in our family.”

“Does she want Sydney in our family?”

“Of course she does.”

“I’ll repeat—if you keep this up, you two will never know your grandchildren. You’ll cut Sydney out of your life. Dad, for years to come, I have no intention of getting tied up in the demands of marriage, so don’t think I’ll give you grandchildren. You better make that clear to Mom.”

A muscle worked in his father’s jaw. He clenched his fists and walked to the window to stare outside. As silence filled the room, Tony recalled Isabelle informing him that her goal was to marry by thirty and have children. Her goal would have nothing to do with him except make her reluctant to have an affair, but he expected to get beyond that easily. And soon.

Finally Grant turned around. “You present a good argument. I don’t like it one damn bit, but I have to be proud of you. You’ve outfoxed me, Tony. I suppose I’ll have to consider your suggestions. With your opposition, I assume I’ll lose a lot if I keep Sydney from marrying this fellow.”

“That’s good news, Dad. Frankly, I think in years to come, the whole family will be much happier if you accept Sydney’s choice.”

“If this young man doesn’t break Sydney’s heart.”

“If he does, she will have only herself to blame. Not you or Mom. I better go, but I’m glad you’re at least listening. Sydney’s your child. You two will really miss her if you go ahead with your threats.”

“Even if I capitulate, I don’t know that your mother will.”

“She will if you talk her into it.”

“Go celebrate your victory.”

“It isn’t a war, Dad,” Tony said. “Sydney and I just want to live our own lives now. We’re adults. It’s time you let go a little.”

“If you ever are a father, Tony, you’ll understand.”

“I hope to hell I learn to let go when any kids I might have reach adulthood, much less in their thirties,” Tony said quietly, feeling the clash of wills. He saw the flash of fire in his father’s eyes and red flooding his face. “Don’t let thoughts of losing control cause your blood pressure to rise,” Tony added. “Just let go a little and trust us to make good decisions. Sydney is plenty smart.”

“This Dylan person knows nothing of how we live. No telling what kind of life he will give her. I hope you remember that when you look for a wife and get someone from your own kind of world.”

“Dad, as far as Sydney is concerned, she has told you what she will do. I’ve told you no marriage for me for years. You and Mom have to decide what you’ll do. We all live with our choices.” Tony looked at his watch. “I’ve got to run. I’m meeting my friends for dinner.”

Grant followed Tony across the room. “Think about Sydney, Tony. You may be helping your sister to lose a lot.”

“Sure. I’ll think about her.” Tony left the room in long strides, already making a call by the time he reached the back door, thoughts of family forgotten as he talked to one of his vice presidents about the coming trip.

After he finished his call and drove away, images of Isabelle returned. What was she doing now? He was tempted to contact her, but he expected another business call soon. When he talked to Isabelle, he didn’t want interruptions. He called his pilot to arrange to fly to San Diego next Friday. He would surprise Isabelle Friday evening. Next weekend couldn’t come too soon.

Twenty minutes later he entered the country club where his family had had a membership since the club’s founding. Crossing the thick red carpet in the darkened bar, he joined his closest friends, men he had known from childhood, Jake Benton and Nick Rafford, who greeted him. “Where’s your brother?” he asked Jake.

“Gabe should be here any minute. We might as well get our table,” Jake said as the two shook hands briefly.

Tony turned to Nick. “Thanks for coming. I know this takes you away from Michael and Emily, as well as Grace.”

“Actually, Emily fell asleep early, and Michael will soon. With the kids asleep, my wife will probably be happy for some solitude.”

It still surprised Tony that Nick and Jake were married. They had been as committed to bachelorhood as he was. Both men seemed wildly in love and happy with their wives. Nick amazed him the most because he now had two small children. He thought well of Grace, but he saw no plans for any kind of serious commitment in his own life.

As soon as they were seated at a large, linen-covered table, Nick reached into his blazer pocket. “I know you’re a confirmed bachelor, Tony, and you’re a newlywed, Jake, but you’re both going to see Michael’s and Emily’s latest pictures.”

As pictures were passed around of his toddler girl and son, who was almost two, Gabe Benton walked up to join them, sitting across from his older brother with the family resemblance showing in the firm jaws, straight noses, thick brown hair and startling blue eyes. Gabe stood out from the others because he was the only one wearing Western hand-tooled boots with his slacks and dress shirt. All of them paused when a waiter arrived to take their drink orders. As soon as they each had a glass of wine, Tony raised his. The others gave him their attention. “You look like the cat that ate the mouse,” Nick remarked to Tony.

“I’ve already made arrangements with the maître d’,” Tony stated. “This dinner goes on my account. We’re celebrating because now we have all ended our controlling fathers’ manipula tions. Nick, you have because you gave your dad the grandchildren he wanted. Jake, you have because you married and settled, and Gabe, you have the good fortune to have escaped, thanks to your older brother.”

“Amen to that,” Jake said as he exchanged a look with Gabe, who grinned.

“So what’s happened with you?” Nick asked Tony. “You just said all of us.”

“That’s right. I’m including myself. Dad has admitted he has to stop interfering with me,” Tony said.

There was mild applause and low cheers. “I’m set to make more money than he has—in short, I don’t need his money, so I can do as I please and he has no leverage to use on me. Tonight he admitted it.”

“Congratulations!” Gabe and Jake said together, as Nick reached out to high-five Tony.

“Way to go, Tony!” Nick said, raising his goblet. “Here’s to freedom from interfering fathers.”

“We’ll all drink to that one,” Jake remarked dryly. “Mine threatening to disinherit me if I didn’t marry—that is the biggest interference of all.”

Nick lowered his drink. “I think Tony’s dinner should be on us.” He paused while Gabe and Jake agreed. “We want to treat you because you’ve earned it. That’s tremendous. Something the three of us have wanted since we were about nine years old.”

“Younger than that,” Tony remarked and the discussion momentarily ended while the white-coated waiter took their dinner orders.

“I figured we’d celebrate your acquisition of Morris. That’s probably what turned the tables with your dad,” Gabe said.

“He realizes he no longer has any hold. He can suggest, but not threaten. Unfortunately, now he’s focused on my sister.”

“Don’t tell me that,” Gabe said. “Our dad has always concentrated on Jake. I hope he doesn’t switch to me. So far, he hasn’t.”

“I don’t think he will,” Jake stated. “No habit established. Your investments are going so well, Dad has to be impressed.”

“I’ve never said a word to him about them,” Gabe replied.