A Majestic Affair Read online

  "My what?" she asked.

  "You know, your collection," he said in a conspiratorially lowered voice. "It's hidden so no one can find 'em."

  For a few seconds Tiara had no idea what he was referring to. Then the memory hit her with the force of a cement truck and she groaned. "You act like they're worth something, Dad."

  "To me they're important and for you, too, if you'd just listen to your heart instead of your head all the time."

  She didn't like where this topic was going. "It's just junk from childhood."

  Through the receiver, she thought she heard sorrow in his sigh. By denying the importance he'd placed on her collection, she'd disappointed him once again. A pounding headache began at the base of her skull.

  "When are you coming home, Dad?"

  "Soon." He paused. "You know, you used to call me Papa Slim, Princess.

  Sheesh! He continually changed the subject so he didn't have to give specific answers. Tiara felt her temper heat up. If he didn't start providing direct responses, her irritability would boil over before they ended the conversation. "I can't help if you don't talk to me."

  "But we are talking, honey."

  Granted, they were, and more than they had in the last ten years. Still, she knew nothing more about the horse or his alleged trouble. All she'd gleaned so far was that he preferred she call him Papa Slim, and that he'd saved a worthless collection of carvings she'd made as a kid. These tidbits of information told her more about her father than she cared to admit. She didn't want to change their relationship. No, to be honest with herself, Tiara was afraid to change it.

  She leaned against the wall, then slowly slid down and landed on the floor in a small puddle of soda. The mess around her brought an earlier question to mind. "Dad, how'd you know to fill the long cabinet with junk food?"

  "Um, just a guess." His answer was as evasive as all the other answers he provided.

  "Forget it. Tell me about this horse."

  "Majestic."

  "Majestic?" she repeated.

  "The horse, his name's Majestic. I won him," he said in a prideful tone.

  She felt an instant twinge of envy toward the horse. "Won a horse? Gambling? You haven't changed a bit," she said icily.

  "I've upset you," he said.

  "No, not really." I just hoped you'd changed, her heart whispered. "What am I supposed to do with the horse?"

  "Just watch out for him 'till I get home. Jayce can help, if you need it."

  "No thanks. I'm sure I'll manage until you get here."

  "That's my girl."

  "When will you tell me what kind of trouble you're in? Is there anything I can do right now?" Tiara asked, trying to pin him down on at least one answer.

  "Don't fret over it. It'll work out."

  He sounded so certain; Tiara wondered why he wouldn't talk about it now. "By not telling me, I worry it's worse than I can possibly imagine."

  "I wouldn't feel right telling you over the phone, Princess. It should wait for when we're together." Finally, Tiara felt they'd gotten somewhere.

  She waited. He wasn't giving any more information. "When is that going--"

  "Love you, Princess." The distinct click told her he'd hung up.

  "Damn," she groaned in frustration. A temper tantrum would feel good, but she couldn't picture herself stomping her feet and yanking out chunks of her hair. Pulling his hair, maybe; stomping on his chest, definitely. "Yeah, right," she said loudly to the empty kitchen instead. "Don't answer the important questions, Dad."

  Not nearly as satisfying a result as she'd hoped.

  She stood and replaced the receiver. Tiara looked around the kitchen and evaluated the mess she'd made when the phone rang. Despite what she told Jayce earlier, she'd be here for a little while longer, which meant the spilled soda could wait until morning. The day's events had worn Tiara out. She grabbed a dishtowel off the counter and threw it on the largest of the caramel colored puddle, then picked up the chip bag and tossed it on the table.

  Tiara rubbed her temples roughly remembering Slim's mention of her collection. Some collection; a bunch of carvings she'd done as a foolish little girl who'd hoped it would make a father love her and a mother forsake the liquor bottle. Neither response had happened. The one person who seemed truly impressed was Jayce. She'd complimented Tiara with more than words. When she'd presented Jayce with a carving, her reward had been a kiss.

  The kiss, warm and intense, had made Tiara feel worthy and had set her heart on fire. Then Jayce had doused the fire, though it was probably Tiara's own fault. Tiara's heart must have hammered a warning only Jayce could hear, and one that had frightened her. Seconds after the kiss, Jayce had scowled and quickly walked away. Tonight was the first time Tiara had seen her since the kiss, and it brought a resurgence of the pain she'd carried these past ten years. Pain from knowing she had disappointed Jayce, too. "When haven't I disappointed my loved ones?"

  The room didn't answer, but the silence was enough. Suddenly, Tiara wanted nothing more than to find her old room and go to sleep. She could hate herself tomorrow, when the horse arrived. Then she could add ignorance to the long list of her negative traits.

  Why did dealing with her father make her feel insecure? She didn't really hate herself. Her competence and hard work had driven her construction firm to the top of the need-to-have list, despite the current financial trends. She was proud of her achievements. So why should she care whether her father was proud of her?

  Part of their conversation nagged at her. Hadn't he been proud enough to save the collection? He had to be or he'd never have kept them. So why hadn't he ever told her before?

  Maybe if I were a horse to bet on...

  JAYCE HAD A routine she'd followed since she was sixteen; however, this morning the routine had been jinxed. She'd managed to fill her mug with black coffee, and take a steamy shower before derailing. Nothing drastic, something as simple as the wooden horse displayed on her dresser. It shouldn't have affected her. The palm-sized carving had been in the same spot for over ten years. Her hair was still wet and uncombed; the drops of water falling on her bare shoulders chilled her. After yanking on a T-shirt and jeans, Jayce reached out, picked up the carving, and took it to the seat under the east window.

  The memories flooded back as if they'd happened only yesterday.

  Jayce found Red hiding in her dad's old barn, Swiss army knife firmly in hand. Tiara had been concentrating so intently on her work that she was unaware that Jayce watched her. When she did notice, Tiara jumped in alarm and nicked her finger on the sharp blade.

  "What are you up to, brat?" Jayce asked, pretending not to notice Tiara hide her hand from view.

  "N-nothing."

  "Nothing, huh? What are you hiding?" Jayce moved closer, ignoring Tiara's nervous step back. "From what I did see, it looked like something."

  Hesitantly, Tiara produced the small hunk of wood.

  Jayce gently took it from her and examined it. The carving was an intricate design of a horse. "Oh, gosh, Red. This is incredible." It wasn't even a lie, either. Tiara had managed to capture every nuance, the very essence of the animal portrayed.

  Tiara's cute freckled face looked stunned, her eyes watering as her lips quivered. "You really think so?"

  Jayce nodded. Blood from Tiara's wound had soaked into the wood. "You cut yourself, though. Maybe we should get Aunt Edna to bandage that up for you."

  Tiara shook her head and asked, "You really like it?"

  "Yeah, it's awesome." Jayce bit the inside of her cheek when she realized, at that moment Tiara meant more to her than simply a neighbor or a friend. The eyes were Jayce's undoing, as Tiara, apparently surprised by her compliment, stood transfixed, undisguised adoration in her expression. There was only one thing for Jayce to do. She kissed Tiara.

  Jayce was startled by how right the contact of their lips felt. She pulled Tiara into a tight embrace and moaned when Tiara closed her eyes. Then, immediately she realized how wrong she was to vi
rtually attack Tiara, a mere child, whether she responded or not. Jayce firmly pushed Tiara an arm's length away, dread weighing uncomfortably in her stomach.

  Before Tiara opened her eyes, Jayce bolted from the barn.

  Jayce had pushed those memories so far back into her subconscious that it should have taken a search party to find them. All it took was seeing Red last night.

  Jayce looked out the window in the direction of Slim's house. From her second story bedroom, she had a clear view across the quarter acre or so separating them. What Jayce saw made her yank on her boots and race out of the house.

  It took a couple of minutes to run to Falling Down Acres. Parked behind Red's truck was a green king cab Dodge with a horse trailer attached. Why it was here at six-thirty in the morning Jayce couldn't imagine. Apparently, Red found herself with the same problematic question.

  "What am I supposed to do with it this early?" Red was asking of the short, plump man before her, as she eyed the horse.

  "I was told to deliver him, he's here." The man spat tobacco juice onto the ground, wiped his chin with the back of his hand, and then crossed his arms over his protruding belly. "The rest ain't my problem, young lady."

  "I realize that, but I'm not sure I know either." The horse nudged Tiara, sending her back a step. "Calm down you brute." Raising his head, the horse snorted. Her eyes widened. "Please?"

  Jayce observed how lost Tiara looked in her gray sweats, unlaced running shoes and her hair in wild disarray. "Maybe I can help." Jayce moved forward and positioned herself between Red, the horse and the man.

  "Good," the man said. "Your sister's not being too helpful."

  "I'm not her sister." Red snapped the declaration over Jayce's shoulder.

  Jayce shrugged. "We're just friends."

  "Not even that," Tiara mumbled.

  Not one to miss an opportunity to tease when it so readily presented itself, Jayce shrugged helplessly. "She's cranky without her morning coffee."

  The flab on the man's multiple chins quivered in what Jayce assumed to be restrained laughter. He motioned Jayce aside with a stiff jerk of his head. When they reached the rear of the trailer, he whacked Jayce on the back. "Argument, huh? Mrs. Rand and I have 'em all the time. My son's...ah, not-even-friend is temperamental in the morning, too."

  Jayce nodded, letting Mr. Rand draw any conclusion he felt comfortable with, more than a bit surprised by the ready acceptance. "Do I need to sign anything for this delivery?"

  "Yeah, but the horse ain't all." He went into the trailer, and soon a commotion echoed from the darkness, followed by an ungodly honk. An indignant goose exited the trailer. Mr. Rand came out and pulled wrinkled pieces of folded paper from his back pocket as he glanced over Jayce's shoulder. "Jittery, ain't she?"

  "Jittery?" Jayce turned to see Tiara, a death grip on the lead rope, eyeing the horse with a cautious stare, her body tensing for flight. Tiara would spook the horse if Jayce didn't get over there, fast. Hastily, she opened the wad of papers. "Pen?"

  After she signed the shipping invoice, the last page removed for Slim's files, Mr. Rand left. Jayce rushed toward Tiara. "I'll keep him at my place, if you'd like." Tiara frowned. "It is my business, after all, to train and board horses. Remember?"

  Tiara bit her lip and glared at the horse, then turned her attention to Jayce. "If Dad expected him, I'm sure there's a place to...ah...um..."

  "Corral him?" Jayce offered. "Yeah, but it's in sad shape. Most of the fence needs repairing. Can't guarantee he'll be content to stay put.

  The barn is in worse shape than before you left."

  "Then I'll repair them."

  "It's a lot of work," Jayce said.

  "I own a construction company, or did you forget what I do for a living?" Tiara said, placing a hand on her hip and tapping one foot. The goose took the action as a personal affront and nipped at her ankle. Tiara sidestepped a bit to get out of his way. "I'll do the house, too, for that matter."

  Jayce had remembered her occupation, and Slim brought it up every chance he got, whether part of the conversation or not. "Red, I'm offering help. Don't be stubborn."

  "Tiara! And I'm not stubborn. Quit analyzing me."

  Jayce knew she'd messed up. It was too early in the morning to argue. Hell, she hadn't even finished her own coffee. "I only meant--"

  "I don't need your help. Just point to wherever he's supposed to go, then you can leave, too."

  "Why are you doing this?" Jayce asked, barely able to contain her flaring temper. "Acting like I'm the enemy," she stated, genuinely confused.

  "Aren't you?" Tiara asked.

  "No, I'm not." Jayce sighed. "Can't we talk without losing tempers?"

  "You're angry? Well, I'm not sorry."

  Jayce's temper became harder to rein in. She backed up a step and pointed with her thumb over her shoulder. "Corral's in the back."

  "Fine."

  "Fine." Jayce strode away just short of running. She'd never run from a fight, against a man or woman; she didn't intend to make this her first occasion.

  What had happened to the kid who tried so hard to make everyone happy, even at the expense of her own happiness? Tiara had changed, going from a caring kid to a nasty, pigheaded woman. Jayce now knew why she'd seen the sadness in Tiara's eyes last night. She probably turned people off as fast as a light switch. Probably didn't have a friend in the world. Well, Tiara could very well manage single-handedly.

  Jayce would go home, get a fresh cup of coffee, and go about her own business. She certainly had enough work to do without trying to help an ungrateful neighbor.

  "I wouldn't help her if she begged me on her knees." Jayce felt proud of herself for reaching her steadfast decision.

  Until she heard Tiara's scream.

  Chapter Three

  TIARA HADN'T MEANT to scream.

  Of course she hadn't expected to be dragged across the yard by a beast hell-bent on reaching a particular patch of grass behind the house, either. However, both had happened. Early morning dew dampened the knees of her, now, grass stained sweats as she tried to stand. She'd almost achieved her goal before the horse took off again. In an instant, she was back on the ground. The goose noisily voiced his opinion of Majestic's pitiable treatment and then snapped at Tiara as if to confirm his estimation of her inadequacy.

  "The grass isn't going anywhere, you brute," she said, eyeing the horse's destination. "You're definitely male. Obstinate. Thick headed. Brutish. And--" She stopped her tirade as the horse paused and she had the misfortune of being in the wrong position at the wrong time while glancing upward. "Oh boy."

  "Well, he's not a gelding," she heard a voice from behind her.

  Tiara hadn't noticed Jayce's reappearance. "I guess not," she said. The horse decided to stay put, for the moment at least. The goose also took that as a signal to desist his tirade. Tiara stood and retrieved the running shoe she'd lost during her short haul. Jayce pried the lead rope from her fingers and moved to the horse's muzzle.

  "Are you all right?" Jayce asked, rubbing the beast's nose.

  Tiara couldn't believe her ears. She'd been the one taken for a ride, an undignified one at that; yet, Jayce seemed more concerned with the horse's welfare. "He should be fine. I didn't drag him around."

  Jayce's brows drew together before she laughed. "I meant you, silly."

  "Oh," Tiara mumbled. "Yeah, I'm fine."

  Silent, Jayce stared at her for so long she began to feel self-conscious. Not to mention it was early, Tiara hadn't had a shower, and still had her pajamas on--thank goodness she didn't wear baby dolls to bed. When Jayce finally spoke, her voice was low and soothing. "Look, Red. You won't accept my help, even though I handle horses for a living, but will you accept a trade?"

  As if Tiara hadn't heard that line a few times. "A trade?" she squeaked. "I know it's the new millennium, but I'm not as modern as you must think." Jayce laughed, this time a deep sultry sound that would have been comforting, under different circumstances, and if it weren'
t directed at her.

  "I'll remember that, but it's not what I had in mind. I thought more along the lines of my corralling the horse and you fixing us coffee. Nothing devious intended, unless you want to throw in breakfast."

  Tiara hoped her father had coffee in the kitchen. A trade meant she wouldn't owe Jayce a favor. And the horse wouldn't get to drag her, or the miserable fowl to snip at her. Breakfast was out of the question, as Tiara couldn't cook. "I'll get coffee started," she told Jayce then slipped her shoe on and made a mad dash for the house.

  Inside, Tiara ran to the kitchen and began her frenzied search for a coffee maker. She found it in a cabinet below the sink, filters and a new can of coffee beside it. Thankful the coffee wasn't decaffeinated, she started a carafe brewing. Tiara wondered if there was enough time for a quick shower before Jayce came inside, then realized it didn't matter. Jayce knew the layout of the house. Hopefully, Jayce would come get her cup of coffee and leave before Tiara finished showering.

  Heading for her room, Tiara was stopped by the squelching sound made by her running shoes, and reminded she hadn't cleaned the spilled soda from last night.

  "Damn." Tiara picked up the dishtowel she'd placed on the puddle. The towel made a ripping sound as she jerked it from the floor and she realized why she'd never left a mess to clean later. She glanced out the kitchen window, no sign of Jayce yet.

  Tossing the soiled cloth in the sink, she turned on the hot water full blast. When the towel was soaked she grabbed it to wring the excess water out, but the water had heated faster than she'd expected. Tiara alternated hands, jerking them free quickly to cool them. If anyone where watching, they'd believe her a possessed marionette. After adjusting the water's temperature to a manageable level, she stole another quick glance out the window, still no sign of Jayce.

  Tiara vigorously cleaned. And after four trips to get all of the spilled soda removed from the floor, cabinets and wall, she tossed the towel in the sink and rushed to get into the shower. She had no idea what was taking Jayce so long, but thanked whatever it was, even if the nasty beast were the reason.