Two Alone

Her choices were clear. She could either roll over and play dead. Or she could fight for him. Her main adversary would be Cooper himself. He was mule-headed and mistrustful. But eventually she would wear him down and convince him that she loved him and that he loved her.

Yes, he did! He could deny it until he gasped his dying breath, but she would never believe that he didn’t love her—because right after her father had made that hateful disclosure, just before Cooper’s face had hardened with contempt, she’d seen incredible pain there. She wouldn’t have the power to hurt him that badly unless he loved her.

She lay back down, glowing in her resolution and knowing exactly what she had to do the following morning.

Her father was taken off guard. A strategist as shrewd as General Patton, he had slipped up. He hadn’t expected a surprise attack.

When she made her unannounced appearance in his office the next morning, he glanced up from his highly polished, white lacquered desk and exclaimed, “Why, Rusty! What...what a lovely surprise.”

“Good morning, Father.”

“What are you doing out? Not that the reason matters. I’m delighted to see you up and around.”

“I had to see you and didn’t want to wait to be worked into your busy schedule.”

He chose to ignore the note of censure in her voice and walked around his desk with his hands outstretched to take hers. “You’re feeling much better—I can tell. Did Mrs. Watkins offer you coffee?”

“She did, but I declined.”

He regarded her casual clothes. “Apparently you’re not going to your office.”

“No, I’m not.”

He cocked his head to one side, obviously waiting for an explanation. When none was forthcoming he asked, “Where are your crutches?”

“In my car.”

“You drove here? I didn’t think—”

“Yes, I drove myself. I wanted to walk in here under my own steam and stand on my own two feet.”

He backed away from her and propped his hips against the edge of his desk. Casually he crossed his ankles and folded his arms over his middle. Rusty recognized the stance. It was the tactical one he assumed when he was backed into a corner but didn’t want his rivals to know that he was. “I take it you read the proposal.” With a smooth motion of his head, he indicated the folder she was carrying under her arm.

“I did.”

“And?”

She ripped the folder in two. Tossing the remnants on the glassy surface of his desk, she said, “Lay off Cooper Landry. Drop the Rogers Gap project. Today.”

He laughed at her sophomoric gesture and shrugged helplessly, spreading his arms wide in appeal. “It’s a little late for that, Rusty dear. The ball has already started rolling.”

“Stop it from rolling.”

“I can’t.”

“Then you’re in a real jam with these investors you collected, Father—” she leaned forward “—because I’m going to privately and publicly resist you on this. I’ll have every conservationist group in the country beating down your door in protest. I don’t think you want that.”

“Rusty, for Heaven’s sake, come to your senses,” he hissed.

“I did. Sometime between midnight and 2:00 a.m., I realized that there’s something much more important to me than any real-estate deal. Even more important to me than winning your approval.”

“Landry?”

“Yes.” Her voice rang with conviction. She was not to be swayed.

But Carlson tried. “You’d give up everything you’ve worked for to have him?”

“Loving Cooper doesn’t take anything away from what I’ve done in the past or will do in the future. Love this strong can only embellish, not tear down.”