Chapter 24 #2
Daniela laughed impishly. The man’s jealousy knew no bounds.
Soon they were cruising out of the city and through rolling pastureland surrounded by steep hills blanketed in the deep green of pine forests. With at least two more hours of daylight left, the sun remained high on the horizon—a vibrant, glowing orb.
For the next forty-five minutes, Caleb and Daniela talked, about anything and everything.
They swapped tales about growing up in San Antonio, and discovered commonalities ranging from favorite foods to places they’d frequented as teenagers.
As they laughed and conversed, their roles as professor and student ceased to exist, nor did their eight-year age gap matter.
They were simply two people enjoying each other’s company as they became better acquainted.
If there was any way Daniela could have prolonged their ride to the ranch, buying herself more time alone with Caleb, she would have—in a heartbeat.
And that should have scared her.
Eventually the road narrowed into two twisting lanes that wound through the foothills of the mountain range. Caleb negotiated the steep curves with the skilled ease of someone who could drive the route in his sleep.
“We’re almost there,” he told Daniela.
She nodded, anxiety knotting in her stomach.
But as she turned her head and stared out the window, nerves were all but forgotten as her attention was captured by the natural beauty of their surroundings.
Perched high on a bluff before them was a rambling hacienda-style ranch house with a wraparound porch.
Below that lay a rugged valley set against the backdrop of rolling hills that rose from the earth like proud, silent sentinels.
“Oh, Caleb…” Daniela breathed, soaking in the sight before her. “Your retirement plan just received my ringing endorsement.”
He chuckled softly. “It has that effect, doesn’t it?”
She nodded vigorously. “How long has your father lived here?”
“He bought the ranch as an investment property twenty years ago. He only began using it as his primary residence earlier this year, after he got sick.” As Caleb spoke, he steered the car uphill, past several barns and outbuildings and a large roping arena where a few ranch hands lingered, herding cattle into a holding pen and tending to other tasks that required completion before the day’s end.
The men, their faces covered in sweat and grime beneath the brim of dusty Stetsons, grinned and called greetings to Caleb when they spied the Phantom.
He waved in response and continued up the road until they reached the main house, where he parked in one of the six detached garages.
As he cut the ignition, the butterflies in Daniela’s stomach returned.
She was seized with the terrible fear that Crandall Thorne would take one look at her, see her for the fraud that she was and have her unceremoniously jettisoned from his property.
But that wasn’t even the worst part of it.
The worst part was that Caleb would never speak to her again—except, maybe, to call her an indescribably horrible bitch who deserved to burn in hell.
As if sensing her apprehension, Caleb reached over and gently cupped her cheek in his big, warm hand. “It’s going to be okay,” he said quietly. “Just be yourself.”
Daniela felt a fresh stab of guilt. Just be yourself. Hadn’t Kenneth told her the very same thing yesterday? What a cruel freaking joke.
Swallowing hard, she forced a nod. “I’ll be fine.”
Caleb smiled, then climbed out of the car and came around to open her door and help her out.
His warm palm settled reassuringly on the low curve of her back, a light pressure that guided her up the walk toward the sprawling two-story ranch house.
They had barely reached the front door before it was swung open by a tall, handsome woman wearing a red cotton sundress with a matching belt cinched around her broad waist.
She beamed a welcoming smile at them. “It’s about time you two made it!” she exclaimed in warm, lilting tones that hinted at a Southern accent.
With a lazy grin, Caleb leaned down to plant a kiss on the woman’s upturned cheek, which was the color of dark caramel and looked just as smooth.
“Evening, Ms. Rita,” he drawled with unmistakable affection in his voice. “You’re looking pretty as a picture. Is that a new dress?”
The woman’s smile widened with pleasure as she glanced down at herself. “What, this old thing? Shoot, no. It’s just something I pulled out from the back of the closet for the special occasion.”
Before Daniela could wonder what special occasion she was referring to, the woman’s dark gaze landed on her. “This must be the young lady your father has been expecting.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Caleb turned to Daniela at his side, his hand returning to the small of her back in that unmistakably possessive manner she found irresistible.
“Ms. Rita, I’d like you to meet Daniela Moreau.
Daniela, this is Rita Owens—the only woman on earth patient enough to put up with my father for thirty years and counting. ”
Grinning and wagging her head at Caleb’s introduction, the woman clasped Daniela’s hand in the solid warmth of her own. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Daniela. Welcome to our home.”
Daniela smiled. “Thank you, Ms. Owens. I’m glad to be here.”
“Come in, come in,” Rita urged, opening the door wider to usher them inside the cool interior of the house.
The wide foyer spilled into a large living area that boasted the finest in contemporary furnishings, and tall glass windows that soared to cathedral ceilings.
Custom ceramic tile floors gleamed beneath their feet as they followed Rita Owens down a wide hall with archways on both sides that opened into several spacious rooms, each showcasing the handiwork of a very talented, and doubtless expensive, interior designer.
“Your father asked me to show you to the study when you arrive,” Rita told Caleb, and he gave a brief nod, his hand never leaving Daniela’s back. She felt the warmth of his touch through her dress, infusing her with the strength and courage she needed to get through the evening.
At the end of the hallway, Rita stopped at a door that had been left slightly ajar.
Without bothering to knock, she ushered Caleb and Daniela into the room.
It was a large, richly appointed library that featured a twenty-foot ceiling and mahogany-paneled walls containing rows and rows of books, the upper tiers accessible by a pair of tall ladders on wheels.
The mingled odors of leather, ink and freshly polished wood scented the air.
Behind the carved mahogany island of a desk sat Crandall Thorne, a man who’d graced countless magazine covers and had been at the center of more controversial court cases than Daniela could recall.
His leather chair was angled away from the desk, one elbow propped on the gleaming surface as he pored through a sheaf of documents on his lap.
Upon their entrance, he glanced over, then slowly set aside his paperwork.
“Your guests have arrived,” Rita told him, unnecessarily.
“Yes, I can see that,” Crandall said in a deep, gravelly voice that resonated with authority.
Behind a pair of rimless reading glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, eyes the color of bittersweet chocolate unerringly homed in on Daniela’s face.
“You must be the young woman my son’s been raving about. ”
Taken aback, Daniela threw Caleb a surprised look. “You have?”
His mouth twitched with faint humor. “I may have mentioned one or two complimentary things.”
She felt an impish grin tugging at the corners of her lips. “Such as?”
His gaze roamed across her face. “If I wanted you to know,” he drawled with an amused glint in his eyes, “obviously I would’ve told you already.”
“Of course,” she teased. “Obviously.”
When Crandall discreetly cleared his throat, Daniela swung her gaze around, embarrassed at how easily she’d forgotten that she and Caleb weren’t alone in the room.
She stepped forward, her hand outstretched. “Daniela Moreau,” she introduced herself with a courteous smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Thorne.”
As Crandall rose smoothly to his feet, Daniela realized that Caleb had inherited more than his father’s arresting good looks.
Wearing a crisp white shirt over impeccably tailored trousers, Crandall Thorne exuded the confidence and charisma of a man who knew who he was, and knew how to get what he wanted—an innate quality his son also possessed, which made him impossible to resist.
Crandall’s large, elegant hand swallowed Daniela’s in a firm handshake. “The pleasure is all mine, Miss Moreau. Please have a seat,” he said, indicating one of the oxblood leather chairs opposite his desk.
Daniela murmured her gratitude as Caleb pulled out the chair for her. Instead of claiming the other seat, he wandered over to a pair of French doors that overlooked a small courtyard, the stucco walls covered with a network of vines that were lush and green this time of year.
As Daniela watched him, he leaned a negligent shoulder against the wall and lazily slid his hands into his pants pockets, looking as if he had not a care in the world.
“I’m going to check on dinner,” Rita announced before slipping out of the room and closing the door quietly behind her.
Crandall’s dark, assessing gaze settled on Daniela. “My son tells me you’re interested in doing an internship at my law firm.”
“That’s correct,” said Daniela, pleased by how steady her voice sounded. “I think it would give me a wonderful opportunity to explore how the legal system works, not to mention the tremendous opportunity to learn from some of the finest criminal defense attorneys in San Antonio.”
Crandall nodded toward Caleb, whose back remained to them. “You’re already learning from the best criminal defense attorney in all of Texas. Did you know that?”