Scandals from the Third Bride

“Katie,” he said, reverting back to the name he had always called her.

“It’s Katherine,” she snapped. “I don’t care to be called Katie by anyone.”

“Very well, Katherine,” he said in a flat tone of voice that gave no indication of what he really felt.

There was no wedding ring on his finger, nor would there have been if he’d bid for her time for an evening. Cade had been wild, the local bad boy. Friends had warned her he would never settle and he wouldn’t go through with the wedding. And they had been correct in their dire predictions.

“You’ve done well,” he remarked.

“I enjoy my work,” she said, wondering how he knew anything about her business. She became silently aware they were in downtown Fort Worth now. She gazed at the tall building that held Ransome Design, Incorporated. She had two floors and sixty employees and she dreamed of opening more offices. Her company was growing fast and she usually experienced a rush of pleasure on viewing the building with her office, but her emotions churned over Cade, and she didn’t feel the customary satisfaction. Thanks partially to the man seated facing her, her work was her life.

She turned to find him watching her.

“A penny for your thoughts,” he said quietly. “As the old saying goes.”

“It won’t cost you even a cent. I was looking at the building where I have my business.”

“Ransome Design, Incorporated had a very impressive twenty percent growth over a year ago. You’ve made a name for yourself, too.”

“My job is my whole life,” she said. “I suspect you can understand that.”

He shrugged one shoulder casually. “There are other things more important,” he said, his dark gaze boring into her.

“Not in my life,” she answered and turned away to look out the window again. She could feel his gaze remaining on her and she wished she could lose the prickly awareness of him, the attraction that made him larger-than-life in too many ways.

She had no inclination to engage in conversation with Cade. She stayed on a raw edge, hanging on to her temper and all the accusations she had accumulated over time.

She wondered what was going through his mind, because he was quiet and didn’t try to engage her in any polite conversation, which would have been pointless.

She didn’t want to be alone with him. She didn’t want to be with him, period. In her peripheral vision, she could see him, and while she tried to ignore him, it was impossible. His long legs were stretched out near hers.

In minutes they stopped in front of another tall building and she realized their destination was the exclusive and prestigious Millington Club on the twenty-sixth floor. Her father belonged to the Millington, as well as the Petroleum Club, and she was surprised Cade even knew about it. She was certain he had known nothing about the exclusive clubs when he was growing up in Rincon in Cedar County, Texas.

They rode the elevator and emerged at a reception area with a thick navy carpet and mahogany furniture. To her surprise, she realized Cade had reservations. She watched while he talked to the maitre d’. As the two men conversed briefly, her gaze ran down the length of Cade, and she remembered exactly how it felt to be in his arms, pressed against that strong, hard body, his legs tangled with hers. Heat coiled low inside her and she clenched her fists, trying to ignore feelings and banish memories and desire.

He wore a simple watch with a leather band, but in the limo she had seen his watch was one of the most expensive brands. She suspected he’d meant what he’d said about having the best. And who was the woman in his life now? Cade wouldn’t be without one.

When he turned to take her arm, his hand touching her was as electrifying as any other contact they had had tonight. Trying to ignore everything about him and continually failing, Katherine walked beside him as they were shown to a linen-covered table beside floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the bright city lights. Soft piano music played and couples already were on the dance floor. She gazed across the table into Cade’s dark eyes.

“As I recall you like prime rib and they serve it here,” he said, and she drew a deep breath. Pain and fury and surprise mixed in her that he would remember. “We weren’t into drinking wine, so I don’t know your preference there,” he said.

“My tastes have changed and tonight, I think I’ll start with a cup of black coffee,” Katherine said, intending to keep as clear a head as possible around Cade. She saw a flare of amusement in his dark eyes as he ordered white wine for himself.

“You’re an entrepreneur, so what’s your latest project?” she asked, not caring, just wanting to get to an impersonal topic.

“I just acquired a film company. The news became public yesterday.”

She remembered seeing an article in the paper that she had merely glanced at without making the connection to Cade. She did remember it was one of the oldest and one of the last still family-owned. “I saw that the studio sold,” she admitted, “but I didn’t take the time to read about who had bought the business. I didn’t think about it being you. You’re going into show business—are you seeing an actress?”

“No. It was good investment and the company was on shaky footing and about to go under. As far as an actress is concerned, at the moment there’s no woman in my life.”

“I find that difficult to imagine,” she remarked dryly and he smiled, a smile that took her breath and hurt. Creases bracketed his mouth and memories tore at her. To escape from her tormenting thoughts, she picked up a thick black folder and opened it to study the menu.

“It’s true, there’s nobody,” he commented. “Who’s the man in your life, Katherine?”

“There isn’t one. I wouldn’t have been in the bachelorette auction if there was anyone on a serious basis. There isn’t even anyone on a not-so-serious basis. I spend most of my time involved in my work.”

“Then we’re alike there,” he said. “I could have given you the same answer. So there’s no particular man in your life right now and no woman in mine.”

“Don’t make anything of that,” she said sharply. “For me, it means nothing. And it doesn’t matter.”

His gaze caught and held hers in another penetrating look that made her wonder what he was thinking. Could he feel her rage? If he did, it didn’t disturb him, but then, why should it? He hadn’t cared when he had walked out on her without a word only a week before their wedding.

“I can’t believe you would come back to Texas. When I look at you, Cade, all I feel is hurt and anger and hate!” she admitted, the words pouring out, yet an inner voice screamed she felt something else, too. Attraction was hot, volatile, impossible to ignore.

She became silent when the sommelier came to the table to open wine for Cade and let him approve the selection. While Cade’s wine was being poured, a waiter came to pour her steaming black coffee and ice water for both Cade and her.

Once they were alone again, Cade raised his wineglass. “Here’s to our efforts tonight to help children.” His dark eyes were riveting and held her, fanning her desire. It was an effort to tear her gaze from him.

“I’ll drink to that,” she said, picking up her water and reaching out to touch Cade’s goblet lightly. His hand touched hers and he watched her as they sipped.

“How civilized we’re being,” she said in a tight voice, grinding out the words and unable to contain her fury. “All I want to do is shout and scream at you.”

“I can understand. We hurt each other, Katherine,” he said solemnly.

“Then why did you come back here to open it all up?” she asked, wondering again where each other came in and how she could possibly have hurt him? She couldn’t guess how he had twisted the past in his mind because there was no earthly way she had done anything at the time to cause him pain and she wanted to fling that fact right back at him, but she clamped her mouth shut.

“The past is far behind us and we’ve both moved on,” he said. “I expected to find you married with a family.”

“I’m married to my work,” she remarked. “You gave me a convoluted answer when I asked why you’re here and why you wanted an evening with me. What’s the real reason?”

Two

“I’ve seen some of the work you’ve done. It’s fabulous,” Cade said. “I have a project I want to discuss. I hope to hire you.”

She gazed at him coolly. “I won’t work for you, Cade. How dare you waltz in and expect to hire me!”

“I could have sent someone with a corporation name you’d never have recognized. You would have taken the job. As a matter of fact, until a few days ago, that’s what I intended to do. At first, I thought it would be best if our paths never crossed. I wasn’t any more eager to see you than you have been to see me.”

“So what made you change your mind?”

“I realized that as soon as you learned who owned the house, you might have walked out. Of course, I could have kept you from ever knowing. I have companies that you’d have to investigate to know that I own them, and I doubt if you check on all your clients.”

“No. I’ve never seen any need to do so.”

“I considered the possibility of staying out of it and keeping you from knowing, but later, it would come up sometime that there’s a house in Houston with your murals and a reporter would dig through the facts to find out who the homeowner is. Also, if I’m here, I can make sure I get what I want.”

“So you chose to come yourself. You want to hire my company’s services. Cade, I’m not for hire where you’re concerned. Get another ad agency. The world is filled with them.”