* * *
Beth saw it all.
Her gaze had fixed on Cam the moment she slipped into the meeting room. As if there was no one else in the place, she could see only him. He wore an elegantly cut suit and tie and held his black hat in his right hand. He and Tony were talking together when Justin came up and said something that had Cam’s features turning to stone.
The confrontation didn’t last long, and Beth really wanted to know what they’d been talking about. But a moment later, James Harris was calling the meeting to order.
Beth slunk down in her chair at the back of the room. She was there for the membership vote because she could at least cast her vote for Cam. But she didn’t want him to see her until she was ready.
The Wingates had been members of the TCC for decades though it was only recently that women had been accepted. Even now though, there were still several of the old guard at the club who resented any female strolling through the hallowed halls of the Texas Cattleman’s Club.
But, as more than one woman had said, Too bad for them.
Beth smiled at a couple of friends, then turned her attention to James. No matter how many times someone spoke up to interrupt him, he calmly kept the meeting on track. She didn’t envy him the task of trying to ride herd on such a big group.
Quietly she watched the wealthiest, most influential people in Royal calling across the room like high school kids, laughing and talking. Her brothers were all here, too, and she thought of them all as creating a Wingate Wall against suspicion and gossip.
Everyone in town had had something to say about the fire at WinJet. They were all waiting to see what would happen next, and Beth was right there with them.
But tonight she wasn’t thinking about the family or the company. Her thoughts were focused on Camden and what her aunt Piper had said to her the day before. If they were both trying to win, they were both going to lose.
When the vote was finally called, Beth raised her hand to vote yes on Cam’s membership, and she was glad to see that her brothers did, too. And except for a small handful of Burt Wheeler’s cronies—and Justin McCoy of course—the vote was overwhelmingly on Cam’s side.
She looked at him in time to see him grin at Tony, and her heart did a quick leap. Cam was the one she wanted, and she’d realized earlier that day that Piper had a point. Why should she wait for him to come to her? Didn’t she have the same right as a man to go after what she wanted ?
She smiled to herself at the realization. But tonight wasn’t the time for her to face Camden and tell him how she felt. He was surrounded by people shaking his hand and welcoming him into the TCC. This was a night for him to concentrate on his win. She could wait until tomorrow.
Still smiling, she slipped out of her seat and headed for the door. She felt better than she had in more than a week. She’d made a decision to go for it. To risk it all for a chance at love and happiness. She whispered, “And I won’t take no for an answer.”
“Beth!”
She groaned and half-heartedly turned to wait for Justin McCoy. If Cam looked over here, he’d see her. Hopefully, he had as little interest in Justin as she did.
“I didn’t know you were coming tonight,” he said, face flushed from rushing through the crowd to catch up with her.
She smiled up at him. “Well, my brothers and I wanted to be here to vote for Cam.”
His lips thinned into such a fine line his mouth looked like a wrinkle in his chin. “I wish you hadn’t done that.”
“Well, I’m sorry you feel that way.” Beth inched toward the door. “I really can’t stay, Justin.”
“Now, no need to rush off.” He draped one arm around her shoulders and Beth squirmed out from under him.
“Justin...”
“Beth,” he said patiently, “it’s time you got past this infatuation with Camden Guthrie and realized that you and I are meant to be.”
She blinked at him. Really, she couldn’t even think of anything to say to that. How did you argue with someone who was so removed from reality?
“I understand you have some memories of Guthrie, but those are long dead. The future is for us.”
“Justin, that’s never going to happen.”
He held on to her again, pulling her to his side, and Beth had to work harder this time to get him off her. She didn’t want to make a scene—people were talking about the Wingates already. But if he didn’t stop pawing at her, Beth might show him a few of the anti-male moves her brothers had taught her when she was a teenager.
Staring up into his eyes, she willed him to pay attention. “Listen to me, Justin. The answer to you is no. It will always be no.”
“You heard the lady.”