Chapter 13
CHAPTER 13
C ameron stepped into his house, so glad to be home. The Christmas lights had been welcoming as the limo pulled up into the Burnett Ranch and yet he couldn’t help but compare the two ranches.
Both had been in their families for generations. Both were not only ranches, but a place for people to visit. Both were run by people who were smart and competent. Well, maybe the Mistletoe Inn wedding venue was, but Edward didn’t know a damn thing about cattle ranching. That was obvious.
The image of Samantha came to mind as he set his suitcase down.
Had she learned the truth yet? Had Edward been honest with her and her mother? Or were they still in the dark? Did she completely despise him?
And he couldn’t blame her.
Why hadn’t he been honest with her? He should have told her the truth as soon as he learned what Edward was up to.
Cameron walked to the bar and poured himself a scotch and then he sank down in his favorite chair and resisted the urge to call Samantha and check on her. This morning when he left, the wedding had been canceled by Sterling and he couldn’t blame the man. Who wanted to promise forever to Francesca?
The woman was the absolute worst example of a bride he’d ever encountered.
The air filled with lavender.
Oh no. No. Just no. This was not the time.
An older woman in a blue dress appeared before him, shimmering in the air.
“You left her when she needed you the most,” she scolded him.
“Good to see you, Great-Grandmother. How are the rest of our ancestors doing? I never see any of them, just you,” he said, thinking now was not the time for him to have to deal with her.
And yes, he didn’t like being reminded that he’d run from Samantha. He wanted to remember their relationship when things were still good.
Not have to face what he’d done.
“Don’t get smart with me, young man, or I will keep you awake for days singing to you. Do you understand?”
That would be hideous.
“Never,” he said. “I just walked in the door. I’m tired, I’m emotionally spent and now you show up.”
The woman cackled. “That’s because someone has to talk some sense into that wide, empty, expanse of land you call a brain. You just walked away from the best woman for you. I told you, she would be arriving and you didn’t believe me.”
What could he say? He’d thought Samantha was a good woman as well, but he was there working on a deal. And the deal would only hurt her.
“Travis is married to a Samantha,” he said. “We can’t have two Samantha’s in the family.”
It was a lame excuse, but he didn’t care. Right now, he was hurting so much. He wanted Samantha in the worst way. Already he missed hearing the sound of her voice, the touch of her hand, or the feel of her beneath him when he took her.
“That’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever said. Do you miss her?”
Of course, he did.
“That’s privileged information,” he said trying to blow off his grandmother.
“What is privileged information ?”
“That means if I told you, I’d have to kill you,” he said.
The woman laughed. “We don’t have to worry about that, do we? I’m already dead. You’re real close to being punished for your lack of respect.”
All he wanted was some time alone to nurse his scotch and stop worrying about Samantha.
“Hey, I did slow down some,” he said, remembering what she’d said at the wedding. “I slowed down and life threw me a curveball. Tomorrow, I will once again get busy.”
He wondered when he’d hear from Edward. Would he accept the deal and then how would he and Samantha deal with her anger?
“She needed you. You should have stayed there today. The poor girl has had to deal with a whole wagon of disappointment. If this is how you’re going to be as a husband, then maybe I should reconsider and have another Burnett take your place.”
The thought of one of his cousins or brothers touching Samantha made him angry. Samantha was his. No one would touch her except him.
The feelings of jealousy and rage that filled him surprised him.
“No, leave her alone,” he said. “She’s dealing with so much right now that she doesn’t need anyone else in her life.”
“She needs you,” the ghost said.
“If you came here to make me feel guilty about leaving her, you’ve succeeded. Now what do you want me to do about it?”
“I want you to go back to Montana,” she said.
There was no way until Edward agreed to sign the deal.
“And do what?”
The ghost laughed. “You’re rather dimwitted for a Burnett.”
“Now who is being mean?”
“You deserve it,” the ghost said. “It’s rather obvious what you should do.”
Now, that was being obtuse. What did the ghost want him to do?
Shaking her head, she mumbled, “How does this family survive without me? You should ask her to marry you. You can save her ranch by putting the Burnett name on it. Give her what she wants.”
He’d thought about that on the way home, but he wanted her to marry him because she was in love with him. Just like he was falling in love with her.
“I don’t marry to save someone’s family ranch. I’ll marry because I’m in love. It’s what my parents did and I’m not like my crazy-ass cousins. I’m waiting to find someone who loves me for who I am,” he said.
“Very valiant of you,” she said. “Maybe we should give you a crown to wear. You’re the man who will buy her ranch for pennies on the dollar and walk away after having sex in the cabin.”
How could she know about what happened when they were snowed in?
“How do you know these things?”
“I’m a ghost with a lot of time on my hands,” she said.
How did you throw a ghost out of your house?
“Please, just give me some time to think on things. Let me get some rest and then I’ll call Samantha to find out how things are going,” he finally said, knowing he was not going to win this battle.