Cowboys & Navy SEALs

Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

“ S tart at the beginning, and tell me everything that happened,” Lillian prompted as she shifted on the plush couch as if trying to find a comfortable spot. Her eyes were kind, her voice soothing.

Lucas’s head was throbbing like he’d been beaten with a baseball bat. He felt sluggish from lack of sleep. He wished he could sink into the couch and let it swallow him whole. His emotions were such a tangled mass that he felt like he’d lose his mind. After leaving the Bentley estate the night before, he’d intended to drive all night back to Franklin. But he couldn’t fathom the thought of going home without Magnolia. Before his head even realized what was happening, he found himself back in the town of Remember. He didn’t know what he hoped to find by coming here. He only knew that he wasn’t in any shape to go home. He’d pulled into the inn and slept in his truck. This morning, when he’d gone inside, he was greeted by a surprised Sam who quickly ushered him back to Lillian’s office. Forty-five minutes later, Lillian shuffled in, apologizing that he’d had to wait for her. She explained that she’d hosted a Christmas Eve party the night before for some close friends and members of the town. Lucas apologized for interrupting her Christmas, but she brushed away his comment with a wave of her hand saying that she had all the time in the world. Lillian had on a Christmas sweater. This one was of Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. Rudolph’s nose was a fluffy red pom pom.

“What happened?” Lillian prompted.

“Benjamin Bentley,” for starters, Lucas grumbled.

“Ah,” she said sagely, “but you knew that going in. Benjamin can be a grumpy old codger. He’s like a dog that won’t let go of a bone.”

“Grumpy is one word for him. I can think of a few other choice words.” He clenched his jaw as the anger resurged.

Lillian chuckled. “Let’s not go there. I don’t like to speak ill of the dead, but Carol Bentley was a cold fish. She and Benjamin did a number on poor Oscar.”

“Tell me about it,” Lucas growled.

Lillian propelled her hand in a circular motion. “Don’t keep me in limbo here. Tell me what happened.”

“Do you know about the conditions attached to the trust fund?”

“Yes, Benjamin told me when I called him. Magnolia has to be married by her twenty-seventh birthday, and it has to be someone that both Benjamin and Eric Stanford approve of.”

“Don’t forget the part about Magnolia having a child within five years of the marriage.”

Lillian blinked in surprise, a look of outrage turning her face deep red. “Are you serious?”

“Yep,” he clipped.

Her head swung back and forth. “That’s absurd. I always knew that Carol was a control freak, but this takes the cake.”

“Benjamin didn’t have any intention of approving me. I don’t fit into his sleek, black-tie world.”

Lillian frowned so deeply that the edges of her eyes were enfolded in deep wrinkles that could’ve given a basset hound a run for its money. “Is Benjamin really that shallow?”

His voice rose. “Evidently. I’m living proof.”

“So, what happened? Did Magnolia not stand by you?”

“Oh, yeah,” he answered quickly, “she did. She was determined to go through with the marriage, with or without her grandfather’s approval.”

“Good for her.” Lillian steeled her jaw, admiration simmering in her eyes. A second later, she gave Lucas a questioning look. “If Magnolia stood by you, then why are you here?”

He pushed out a long breath. “Oscar came to me last night. He told me his story, about how he defied his parents and married Magnolia’s mother. Carol and Benjamin disinherited him. The friction of losing the money drove a wedge between the couple. Eventually, their marriage fell apart.”

“I didn’t know that. It’s a shame.”

“Oscar told me that if Magnolia and I went through with our marriage, then we would follow the same path. Magnolia doesn’t know what it’s like to live without money. She would have ended up resenting me in the end.” His gut knotted. “I couldn’t be the cause of her losing her inheritance.”

Lillian’s voice rose. “So you just walked away?”

“What choice did I have?” Acid rose in his throat.

“You could’ve stayed and fought.” Her voice was coated in reproof. “I believe that when push came to shove, Benjamin would have backed down. Surely he wants Magnolia to get her inheritance. Benjamin has more money than he knows what to do with.”

“Magnolia will get her inheritance,” Lucas said calmly, although his insides were raging up a storm. “She’ll marry her ex-boyfriend, Roman Abbott.”

Lillian’s jaw dropped. “Where does the ex-boyfriend come in? I thought he was officially out of the picture.”

He rubbed a hand across his forehead. He’d thought it would help to talk to Lillian, but it was only making him feel worse. No matter where he went or what he did, nothing could stop the raging in his head. All he knew to do was to keep putting one foot in front of the other and to keep breathing in and out. He couldn’t think past the next few minutes. It was too painful. “Before Magnolia and I got together she’d been dating Roman. The two of them broke up when Magnolia saw him having dinner with another woman. Lillian’s eyes rounded to large circles as Lucas continued. Magnolia had planned to marry Roman so she could get her inheritance.”

“Yes, Benjamin told me that. He was afraid that Magnolia had grabbed the first guy she could find on the rebound to fulfill the terms of the trust. Sorry, I mean no disrespect to you,” she said when Lucas grimaced.

“It’s okay. I’ll take my fair share of the blame. Magnolia was desperate. She agreed to buy me a ranch if I agreed to marry her.”

“Ah, the rest of the picture shifts into place. That’s why you were out, trying to find Arthur’s ranch.”

“Yep, that’s why.” He grunted. “The only thing I didn’t count on was actually falling in love with Magnolia.”

A coy smile curved Lillian’s ruby lips. “I know true love when I see it,” she asserted. She dipped her head. “I still don’t understand. How the boyfriend … what was his name again?”

“Roman Abbott.”

“That’s right. How does Roman Abbott play into this?”

“He was at the Bentley estate when we arrived. Shortly after Magnolia and I met with Benjamin in his study, Benjamin got his housekeeper to bring Roman in.” His eyes narrowed. “Roman proceeded to tell Magnolia how sorry he was. He claimed that the girl he’d gone to dinner with was an old friend. He pleaded for Magnolia’s forgiveness, telling her that he wanted her back.”

Lillian snorted. “More like he wants access to her inheritance.”

“No, I don’t think so. Magnolia never told Roman about the inheritance. Had Roman not been there, I might’ve stood a fighting chance. However, in Benjamin’s eyes there was no contest between me and Roman. He’s from the same background as Magnolia. He got his master’s from Columbia University and plans on teaching at Harvard. Oscar asked me to step down so that Roman could marry Magnolia. That way, she gets to claim her inheritance, and they ride off into the sunset together,” he finished bitterly.

Lillian sat back in her seat, drumming her fingers on her pants. “It certainly seems like everything is tied up in a neat bow. It’s a good thing Roman was there, waiting in the wings, to marry Magnolia. How benevolent of him to want to reconcile, especially since he had no idea that she stood to inherit a fortune.” She looked thoughtful. “I wonder …”

Lucas frowned. “Are you saying there has been some foul play?”

She pursed her lips together. “I’m not sure what I’m saying, only that it’s convenient that Roman Abbott was there. Abbott …” she mused. “Why does that name sound so familiar? I can’t quite place it, but I’ll figure it out. How was Eric Stanford?”

Lucas shrugged. “Cordial, diplomatic. Although I could tell that Eric won’t make a move without Benjamin’s approval.”

Lillian’s eyes sparked fire. “Eric Stanford is a leech. My late husband Howard tried to warn Benjamin to cut ties with him, but Eric has his claws in too deep.” Lillian squinted her eyes in concentration. “Columbia, Harvard,” she murmured. “Roman Abbott. Why does that name sound so familiar?” She jerked, her eyes popping open wide. “Oh, my gosh! It just came to me! Eric has a sister named Rosalyn Abbott.”

Lucas’s breath caught. “Do you think that Roman Abbott is Eric’s nephew?” His heart began to pound as the implications began to take shape. He balled his fists. Hadn’t he known deep down that Roman was a fraud? He was too much of a slick talker, too repentant, too willing to lay down at Magnolia’s feet. He pushed a hand through his hair. “If Roman Abbott is Eric’s nephew, then I’ve been played.”

“What does Roman look like?”

“He’s tall with dark hair and dark eyes.”

“Is he a good-looking guy? A George Clooney type?”

“Yeah.” He swore under his breath.

“Don’t panic … yet. Let’s make sure that my hunch is correct. I’m friends with Rosalyn on Facebook. She always posts pictures of her kids.”

“When you said that you were friends with Benjamin Bentley, I didn’t realize that y’all were close enough that you’d be connected to his attorney’s sister on Facebook.”

“It’s a small world, especially where the wealthy are concerned.” She looked over her shoulder. “Would you be a dear and get me my laptop from my desk?”

“Sure.” He returned with it a minute later.

Lillian opened it and began typing away on the keys. A few seconds later, she turned her computer to him. “Is this the guy?”

An invisible noose tightened around Lucas’s neck, stealing his breath. He coughed, rage blistering through him. “What have I done? I’ve thrown Magnolia to the wolves.” A humorless laugh scratched his throat as he rubbed a hand over his forehead. “I shouldn’t have left. I never even told Magnolia I was going. I took off in the middle of the night. After what Oscar told me about his marriage, I panicked. I didn’t want to knock Magnolia out of her inheritance.” His voice cracked. “I didn’t want her to end up resenting me.” He ground his teeth. “Let’s face it, I was fighting a losing battle from the beginning. Even if Benjamin had given me his blessing, then Magnolia would always wonder if I was with her for the money. We should’ve just told Benjamin Bentley where to stick it.” Anguish twisted his gut. “We could’ve built a life for ourselves independent of the money.”

“It’s not too late,” Lillian interjected. “She’s not married yet.”

“She’ll never forgive me for leaving her.”

Lillian gave Lucas a sharp look. “You can’t sit back and do nothing while she marries a charlatan.”

“No, you’re right. Even if I’ve lost her, I still have to look out for her wellbeing.”

“Magnolia loves you.”

“And I love her,” he thundered, “but I will never be her equal. The money will always be between us.”

She gave him a speculative look. “What if there was a way to level the playing field?”

He frowned. “I don’t understand.”

A mischievous grin flitted over Lillian’s lips. “You know how I told you Sam and I were out looking for a Christmas tree when those teenagers jumped us?”

“Yeah,” he said warily. He’d known all along that Lillian and Sam weren’t telling the full truth, but he had no idea where this was going.

Her eyes twinkled. “I might’ve fudged the situation a smidgen.” She pressed her index finger and thumb together as she held up her hand. A minute later, she sat up straight, fixing him with a penetrating look. “How much do you love Magnolia?”

His throat thickened with emotion. “Enough to give her up when I thought it was best for her.”

She nodded. “Now that you know that you goofed, what’re you willing to do to get her back?”

Determination bubbled inside him. “Whatever it takes.”

“Good, I just wanted to hear you say it. And for the record, your value to Magnolia has nothing to do with money. It will only come between you if you allow it to.” She clasped her hands together with a renewed sense of purpose. “I just have one final question for you.”

“What’s that?”

A large grin broke over her face. “How are you at digging?”

“Digging?” he asked dubiously. “What does that have to do with anything?” Lillian was a nice person, but she was a bit odd. Still, he owed her a lot for helping him uncover Roman’s fraud. His insides burned with indignation, making him want to jump up this very minute, rush back to the Bentley Estate, and beat Roman to a pulp.

Lillian giggled. “You’ll see,” she sang, her eyes dancing with mystery. “All will be revealed soon.”