In the end, Worth stood his ground and I loved him for it. His technique was wonderful, as far as I was concerned. He cornered Dad as soon as Mother’s guests were leaving and when Brandon finally said his goodnight, I found them in Dad’s study. Each held a snifter of brandy and they were talking about the people they knew in common. This was Worth’s way of insinuating himself into Dad’s good graces. I heard him utter a quiet compliment from time to time, further ingratiating himself.
Mother, on the other hand, Worth completely ignored. It was as if she were not sitting in the house. She’d been left in the living room, a martini still in her hand. She motioned to me to sit down after I’d looked in on the men.
“What’s he doing here again?” she asked.
“Who?”
“Worth LaViere, that’s who. Don’t play games with me, Auggie.”
“Worth invited me to lunch and Brandon happened to show up at the same place. Brandon invited himself to dinner and Worth accompanied me. I was only being polite, Mother.”
“My ass,” she snarled and I was taken aback. I couldn’t ever remember hearing her use such crass language. She simply did not do that. It must be the liquor talking.
“Who is this Brandon and what does he want?” she went on to him next.
“Brandon comes from a very good family, the Knotts, in Woodford County. His people are into tobacco mostly which is probably why you haven’t crossed paths. I knew him when I went to school at UK. He’s now an attorney with a wonderful future.”
“Is he a suitor?” she wanted to know.
This was a time for twisting truth. “I really can’t say, Mother. I know he’s had a thing for me ever since school.”
“Yes, but do you have a ‘thing’ for him?” she pressed.
“Mother, you know you’re in full charge of my future, as always. I put it in your hands,” I said, feeding her sense of superior rule. She loved this and smirked with vodka lips.
I escaped as she filled her glass again and tapped on Dad’s study door to find the men in a pleasant conversation. They were swapping tales and both of the men seemed relaxed in one another’s company. I breathed a sigh of relief. One down, three to go.
Worth stood when I entered. He gave a sort of a half bow to Dad and said, “Sir, it’s been a pleasure. I believe there’s a certain young lady awaiting me.” Dad nodded and smiled as I kissed him goodbye.
We cruised quickly past Mother, although I doubt she even cared as she pretended to be occupied with her martini and the fact that she had a run in her stocking.
“Come and meet Carlos.” I tugged at Worth’s sleeve.
“Yet another of your suitors?” he asked in a teasing voice.
The night was cooler than I’d expected and Worth slid off his jacket and put it over my shoulders. We walked toward the paddock. It was dark but I knew my way blindfolded.
As we entered, the heat from the animals and the smell of dung warmed me immediately. Sometimes I felt like I wanted to sleep there. I walked him over to Carlos’ stall and began to pet the soft nuzzle. “This is Carlos, the first man I ever fell in love with,” I introduced him.
Worth smiled and patted Carlos’ nose. “Competition, eh?”
“Actually, I’ve had fantasies that involved you aboard Carlos, if you must know,” I said.
This got his attention. “Really? Care to share?”
“Not with a doctor. Don’t want to be analyzed. Let’s just say I like the reality far better than the fantasy,” I teased him gently.
“Fantasies are a good thing. Perhaps one day we can act it out. Just show me what to do,” he said as he put his arms around me.
“Where will you sleep tonight?” I asked. It was late.
“With you?” he ventured, looking in the direction of the house.
“I don’t think so. Mother has a habit of prowling and while Dad seemed to be fine with having you around, she’s another thing entirely.”
“Don’t worry about me, Auggie. I always manage to land somewhere.”
“Alone?”
“Unless you’re coming with me,” he suggested.
“I don’t think I could manage that a second time today. Anyway, I’m exhausted. We started out so early and it’s been a long day.”
“Then let me kiss you here with only Carlos watching and I’ll be on my way.”
It was a long, deep kiss, the kind that made me want to let my knees collapse and push him into the straw bales, just to get skin to skin. I knew the danger of discovery was too high for that here, but someday… “Worth?”
“Yes, my sweet?”
“When will you begin building the house?”
“When would you like?”
“Tomorrow?”
“Then tomorrow it is. This time, however, we’re going to meet on my turf. I’ll meet you at my office at one o’clock and we’ll start preliminary drawings I can get to an architect. How’s that?”
“I love you.”
He kissed the tip of my nose. “Auggie, I want to hear you say that a dozen times a day for the next eighty years.”
“You’ve got a deal,” I answered as we walked out of the stable and Worth climbed into his car and left, blinking his headlights as he went down the long drive.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Worth
I wasn’t fond of this game Auggie was playing. As much as I wanted her, she needed to be tamed a bit. She’d obviously been high-handed her entire life, and I was fairly certain once we were married, she would transfer her target from her mother’s back to mine. I wasn’t about to let that happen.
Once again in the office, I made some calls.
“Bill? Worth here. How are you?” Auggie wasn’t the only one with old school chums waiting to do her bidding. Bill Daughtery and I had known one another since school, as well. He was about to return a few favors. “I have a little something I’d like you to do for me…”
The next call went to Jeremy. “Who’s the best architect in town?”
Jeremy was accustomed to my lack of explanation and decisions on a whim. “Residential? Commercial? Interior? Bridges over the River Seine?”
“Don’t be a smart ass. Residential and with some equine familiarity.”
“Care to share any more details?” he tried.
“No.”
“Didn’t think so. Okay, will text you when we hang up. Dexter’s your best bet.”
“You might have just redeemed yourself from kicking me out of your apartment,” I pointed out.
“Worth, baby, you weren’t willing to pay the price of admission.”
I chose to overlook that and hung up.
The text followed momentarily. It was perfect, couldn’t have engineered it better if I’d tried.
Dexter Architectural Associates
Beverly Dexter, AIA, CEO
Her phone number followed.
“Ms. Dexter, please. Dr. Worth LaViere calling,” were the magic words that brought her instantly on the line. I arranged to meet her at the farm that afternoon. “This is confidential, Ms. Dexter,” I cautioned her.
“Call me Bev,” she offered back. Jesus, but they were so easy to read.
Her Cadillac pulled up behind my Porsche on the shoulder of the side road. The door opened and a tall, breathtaking woman with legs like a dancer emerged. Before closing her door, with exaggerated slow motion, she slid off her heels and replaced them with low-heeled boots. She knew what she was doing that much was clear.