Chapter 14
Nash rode alongside Londyn,checking the entire perimeter of the LJ Ranch. She’d met with the ranch hands and listened as they’d caught her up on what they’d been doing since she’d been gone. They’d also shared their plans for the next month.
Ben Standing Bear had taken his promise to help keep an eye on her place seriously and had the ranch hands working on projects to shore up damaged fences and gates. He’d purchased fencing supplies out of his own pocket.
Londyn hadn’t been happy about that. When she’d gotten back to the house, she’d told her mother she’d pay Ben back as soon as she received her first paycheck. Other than that bit of information, she was still giving her mother the cold shoulder.
Nash figured she’d come around soon enough. She had the right to be angry. Her mother had lied to her about her father.
That evening, Ben joined them for dinner, coming early enough to throw steaks and baked potatoes on the grill.
Nash helped Londyn chop vegetables for a salad. The ranch hands joined them, and they all sat at the big table in the kitchen. Having the ranch hands in the room helped keep the mood light. They told stories of crazy things that happened in the weeks since Londyn had been gone.
Despite the ranch hands’ antics and stories, by the end of the meal, Londyn’s body was strung tighter than a compound bow.
When the ranch hands insisted on doing the dishes, Nash helped Londyn carry plates into the kitchen, then took her hand and led her out onto the porch. The sun had set, and the sky was sprinkled with so many glittering stars that they didn’t need the porch light to see.
Nash walked with Londyn around the house and down to the barn, where they leaned on the top rail of the fence and watched the horses in the field beyond.
“I feel like everything has changed,” Londyn whispered. “And yet, most things have stayed the same. I still need to finish this acting contract. The bank still wants back mortgage payments, and the state is sending notices demanding payment of back taxes.” Her lips twisted into a sad smile.
“Then what has changed?” Nash asked, wanting her to articulate what was going on inside.
“I don’t know if I can ever trust my mother to tell me the truth, for one. She lied to me all my life. Why couldn’t she just tell me who my father was?”
“Like you,” her mother said from behind her, “I didn’t want to rely on anyone else to help raise my child. You have to understand. Ben said terrible things to me. He told me he’d never loved me and only hung around because I was pretty. He said he was tired of my clinginess and was ready to move on and date other girls.”
Ben Standing Bear appeared behind Londyn’s mother. “I said some heinous things to your mother. I didn’t believe any of them, but I needed her to believe them. Your grandfather had convinced me that I wasn’t good enough for his daughter, that I would hold her back from exploring her greatest potential.”
Dana slipped her hand through the crook of Ben’s elbow. “The truth was that I wasn’t good enough for Ben. I should’ve seen through his ruse.”
“Dana’s father pointed out that we were just two young people with no job prospects,” Ben said, his gaze going to the stars in the sky. “I didn’t have a college degree or own land I could work to make money. I’d need to provide for a wife and any children that might come along.” He laughed. “I admit, he painted a pretty bleak picture of life as an unemployed Native American. He said the best thing I could do was break it off with his daughter. I should let her go to college, get her education, and establish herself in a career. I could also use that time to improve my situation. Then, if she came back to me, he’d bless our union. Only then would she be more of an asset than a liability.”
Londyn’s mother’s lips pursed into a tight line. “That was my father. More concerned about profitability than his only daughter’s world falling apart around her ears.”
“The point is,” Ben faced Dana and took her hand, “your father was right. Had we married straight out of high school, you wouldn’t have had the opportunity to audition for parts in LA.”
“I wasn’t even interested in acting,” Dana said, “until I had to do something to support my kid.” She glanced toward Londyn. “I didn’t tell Ben about his daughter because he’d made it clear he didn’t want anything to do with me. That cut so deep. I didn’t want him to feel obligated to support her. I’d severed ties with my father and was alone in LA. I had to figure it out on my own.”
Ben looked down into Dana’s eyes. “I shouldn’t have been so horrible to you. If I had gone with our original plan, we’d have been married before Londyn was born.”
Her mother arched an eyebrow. “And you might not have gone to college and become a hot shot financial planner and made enough money to buy the property next to my father’s and so much more.”
He snorted. “I admit I wanted to prove him wrong. I wanted to make it big enough that I deserved you. I even went to LA after I bought the ranch.”
Londyn’s mother gazed up into Ben’s eyes. “You did? Why did I not know this?”
He grimaced. “I had some ridiculous idea that I could win you back if I just told you the truth and showed you that I could provide for a family.” Ben sighed.
She stared into his eyes. “I didn’t know.”
“I saw you from a distance at the red-carpet premiere of the movie that shot you to stardom. You’d made it. I realized then that I didn’t have a chance. Your father was right. You were so much better off without me. So, I got on the plane, came back home and worked my ranch.”
“You never married,” Dana said.
He shook his head. “The only girl I ever wanted to marry was way out of my league.” He faced Londyn. “So, you see, neither of us intentionally deprived you of the family you deserved.”
Londyn sighed. “Could you at least let me be mad for a few more days? It doesn’t make up for the twenty-seven years I missed out on having a father around who could’ve taken me to the father-daughter dances and taught me to throw a baseball.” She shook her head. “I think, in his own gruff way, Gramps tried to make up for splitting you two up by taking me in and teaching me all the things a father would’ve taught me.”
“I think he was also making up for checking out of my life after my mother died,” Dana said. “He couldn’t look at me because I looked like Mom.”
“And that’s why he was more willing to take me in,” Londyn said. “I don’t look anything like my mother or grandmother.” She met Ben’s gaze. “I look like my father.” Her brow twisted. “That’s going to take some getting used to. Don’t take offense if I continue to call you Ben.”
Ben held up a hand. “I won’t take offense if you won’t take offense if I don’t call you my little girl.”
Londyn laughed. “I won’t.”
Her mother gave her a hopeful look. “So, are we okay? You aren’t going to hate me forever? I realized far too late that hate hurts you more than the person you profess to hate.” She pulled Londyn into her arms. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”
“I might forgive you...someday. Just not today.” Londyn wrapped her arms around her mother and held her for a long moment, her eyes dangerously moist. “I wish Gramps could’ve been here for this love fest.” She chuckled. “He would’ve felt awkward as hell, but I think he would’ve liked to make things right. Otherwise, why would he have sent me to Ben upon his death?”
“Guilty conscience,” Dana said. “It probably helped him lighten the burden in his heart.” She leaned into Ben. “I guess the next big question is where to from here?”
Ben slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. “For now, it’s enough to take it one day at a time.”
“As much as I enjoy the night sky and cool temperatures, I’ll leave you two to get reacquainted,” Londyn said. “I have to get up early tomorrow to fly down to Yellowstone and salvage what’s left of my debut and finale in the film industry. I still need the money.” She gave her mother a tight smile. “Does your offer to fly me down there still stand?”
Her mother nodded. “It does. In anticipation of your reunion with the director, I gave the pilot the warning order earlier this evening. He’ll be ready and waiting for you and Nash before dawn.”
“Then I’m going to get some rest,” Londyn said.
Her mother held up a hand. “One other thing on the road to transparency…”
Nash tensed along with Londyn as the older woman grinned. “It’s okay. I just thought you’d like to know why I named you Londyn.” She smiled.
“As a matter of fact, I am curious,” Londyn cocked an eyebrow. “Why did you name me Londyn? And then spell it wrong?”
Dana looked up into Ben’s gaze. “Do you remember what you wrote in my yearbook?”
Ben’s brow dipped. “We were planning our honeymoon, though we didn’t have the money to take one.”
“We were going to London.” She smiled weakly. “I figured since I couldn’t take you there, I’d give you an exotic name to remind me to keep striving for more. And someday, I’d get to London. You were my inspiration.”
Londyn nodded. “And you made it.”
“Yes, I did. And when I went...” she looked up at Ben, “I couldn’t stop thinking about our honeymoon.”
Nash walked with Londyn back to the house.
As they climbed the steps to the porch, Londyn stopped and turned to stare out at the landscape bathed in brilliant starlight. “I hate leaving.”
As Nash stood behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her close. “Then don’t go.”
She tipped her head back, resting it against his chest. “I have to do this.”
His arms tightened around her. “You realize the danger still exists.”
She nodded. “Which makes me even more determined to see this through. Nobody is going to scare me off the set or force me off my property.” She stiffened against him and turned in his arms. “If they want a fight, I’m ready to give it to them.”
Nash’s lips curled upward. “You’re amazing. Other women would’ve given up on the ranch and making that film.” He brushed a strand of her hair back from her forehead, then bent to touch his lips there.
“Is it too forward of me to ask if you’d like to do a repeat of last night?” she whispered.
He chuckled. “No and no.”
Her brow puckered. “No?”
“Not a repeat. I’d rather not camp out in the barn like we did last night.” He held up a hand. “Don’t get me wrong. It was incredible.”
Her fingers walked up his chest. “Can I interest you in a bed?”
He leaned his forehead against hers. “Always.”
She took his hand and led him up the stairs and into her room, closing and locking the door behind them.
His gut told him the next few days back in Yellowstone would be challenging. But for that night, all Nash wanted to think about was Londyn, holding her in his arms and making love to her.
They undressed each other and lay on the bed, their bodies entwined, cuddling until cuddles weren’t enough. The fire of desire ignited quickly, consuming them in flames. They made love until nearly midnight. Afterward, Londyn nestled in his arms, her naked body pressed to his, her breathing slowing as she fell into a deep, restful sleep.
Nash lay awake a lot longer, mulling over everything that had happened that day and worrying about going back to the movie set.
He needed to touch base with Swede. By now, the tech guru should have some information from his background checks.
When they returned to Yellowstone, Nash wanted to keep a close eye on Craig Ryland. The man had blatantly lied to the director about Londyn quitting her job.
Why? What did he hope to gain?
Unless Craig wanted Londyn off the set so he could get the leading lady of his choice on the project.
Londyn had been the only person targeted out of all the other actors. Since being back on her ranch, no attempts had been made on her life. It all boiled down to her involvement in the movie. Someone didn’t want her there and wouldn’t stop until she was off the set permanently by forcing her to quit.
Or eliminating her altogether.
Yeah, sleep wouldn’t come easily.