A Lone Star Love Affair Page 2

  “I hope you give my company a chance,” he said. “I have the feeling you’ve already formed an opinion and have one foot out the door.”

  “Not yet,” she said, as she clicked her key to unlock her car. While he held her door, she slid behind the wheel.

  “I’ll see you next at the reception we’re having for the executives Thursday evening. You will attend, won’t you?”

  “Certainly. I believe it’s mandatory unless one is in the hospital.”

  “We all need to meet one another.”

  She gave him a doubting look as if she didn’t believe a word he said.

  “Good night, Isabelle,” he said, wishing he could prolong the time with her.

  “Good night,” she replied.

  When she started the engine, he walked to his car. As she drove past, her profile was to him and she never glanced around.

  “Isabelle Smith,” he said, mulling over her name and the past hour. The only things he knew for certain were that she didn’t like him and she resented his buying out Morris.

  He remembered another Smith he had known. She had been a freshman or sophomore in college and he had met her at a party when he had been on campus for a seminar. Her name hadn’t been Isabelle and she had been a carefree, fun-loving, sexy woman. It had been an instant hot attraction that ended in a passionate night together even though she had been a virgin. A blue-eyed blonde with a resemblance to Isabelle Smith, but only a slight similarity and one he dismissed as swiftly as it came to mind. Partying with him, Jessie Smith had been wild, friendly and filled with fun. She had constantly smiled until passion replaced her smiles. He hadn’t forgotten her and he didn’t think he ever would. He couldn’t recall her major or where she was from. Even though he had wanted to, he had never tried to contact her because she would have been too big a distraction in his life at the time. His focus had been on building his fortune. She had faded from his life, but never from his memory. That had been an unforgettable night. There was enough of a resemblance in coloring and name to give him the feeling he had met Isabelle Smith before tonight, but she definitely was no Jessie Smith.

  His cell phone beeped, indicating a text from his sister.

  As he climbed into his sports car, he paused to read her message. In minutes he headed home. When he entered his neighborhood, he slowed, driving beneath tall trees with thick trunks in one of the oldest areas in Dallas. Bare limbs interlocked overhead, bordering sweeping lawns of two-and three-story mansions. A high, wrought-iron fence surrounded Tony’s property and with a code he opened iron gates. As he wound along the wide driveway, he saw a familiar sports car parked at the front.

  He pulled into his garage and entered his house, going straight through to open the front door. A woman with a mass of curly black hair and thickly lashed dark brown eyes matching his stepped out of the parked car and dashed toward his door. She crossed the illuminated wide porch.

  He closed the door behind his younger sister. “Sydney, what brings you on the run at this hour?” he asked, smiling at her. He loved his sister.

  “Dad. He wanted to see me tonight. I need to talk to you, Tony.”

  “Sure. Let’s go to the family room. Want something to drink?”

  “Cranberry juice if you have it.”

  Several small lights came on automatically as they entered a large room that held comfortable leather furniture, a bar and a large fireplace. Tony crossed to the bar to get a cold beer for himself and juice for his sister.

  As soon as he had a fire blazing, he picked up his beer and sat on a chair facing his sister, who sipped her juice. “Okay, let’s hear it. What’s Dad done now?” Tony asked.

  “Tony, he’s pressuring me to dump Dylan,” she said, focusing worried brown eyes on her brother.

  “So? Sydney, it’s your life. Do what you want,” Tony answered.

  “It’s not that easy.” She looked away as if lost in thought. Her gaze returned to Tony. “Dad’s threatened me. If I marry Dylan, he’ll disinherit me.”

  “Dammit. That’s drastic. He must have talked to my friend Jake’s dad who held such a threat over Jake’s head. Our dads are old friends and both control freaks. That’s where Dad got this idea of threatening you. It worked with Jake because he married.”

  “That’s not all. Dad will stop all support and I’m on my own to finish medical school. I may have to make a choice between med school and Dylan. If I have to choose, Dylan wins. Worst of all, Dad will cut me out of the family completely. ‘Don’t come home’ and all that.”

  “Mom won’t go along with any such ultimatum,” Tony said, losing his temper with his interfering father.

  “She already has. For once, Mom sat in with us when he talked to me.”

  “That’s serious,” Tony remarked, giving his sister his full attention. “I don’t think I’ve ever had Mom step in to back up Dad. I’m shocked.”

  “Mom doesn’t like Dylan. She thinks he’s a nobody and will embarrass the family. Even worse, he’s an artist who had to put himself through college by relying on scholarships. It doesn’t matter to them that his grades are excellent or what it took to accomplish sending himself.”

  “Graphic art is a respectable career,” Tony answered, thinking about Isabelle, although it had been years since he’d had any worries about his family having to accept a woman in his life. “This is partially why I work like crazy. He’s beginning to back off with me—especially since I acquired Morris Enterprises—because I’m going to make more money than he has and he can see it. Syd, I’m finally getting respect out of him.”

  “I doubt if I can ever say that. I thought if I made it through medical school, I would, but I don’t think that any longer. If you’re sympathetic to me at all, it will only increase the tension between you and Mom and Dad. As for Dylan, he just isn’t from our circle of friends and his family is low income with blue-collar jobs. I’m afraid Dad will try every way he can to give Dylan difficulty. He’ll try to sabotage Dylan getting work, or staying with a company. He will try to keep him out of any family gatherings.”

  “I don’t think so, Syd. He wouldn’t do that to you.”

  “Tony, really,” she snapped, glaring at her brother.

  “You’ll know in time. As for the other, I’m one-quarter of this family and I’m not cutting you out, so you can see me on holidays.”

  “If you’re even in the country. Thank you for offering, though.”

  “And don’t worry about med school. I can support you right now. I have the money and can easily and gladly do it. Just tell me how much and I’ll write the first check tonight,” Tony said, feeling as protective of his sister as ever. Seven years older than Sydney, he had spent his life looking out for her and being a buffer between his parents and her. They had always been close.

  “I don’t want you to do that. I didn’t call you to get you to finance me.”

  “I can afford it. I want to. End of argument.”

  “Oh, Tony,” she said, her eyes filling with tears as she jumped to her feet to run and hug him. “You are the best brother in the whole world.”

  “I can support you without missing the money.” He set down his beer. “I’ll get a check.”

  “You don’t need to now. Dad hasn’t done anything yet.”

  “Don’t wait until he does something. Let me give you a check and you put this money away. Open a new bank account Dad knows nothing about with a bank where no one knows him. This is a big enough city that you can get away from Dad’s scrutiny. The minute he cuts you off, you let me know and I’ll take up supporting you. In the meantime, you’ll have this to fall back on if you need it. I’ll be right back.”

  She wiped her eyes. “You really are the best brother ever.”

  He left to get a check, filling it out and returning to take it to her. She was back in the chair, her long legs tucked beneath her. When Tony handed her the check, she looked up with wide eyes. “Tony, this is enormous. I don’t need money like this yet.”


  “Take it and do what I told you. This way you can open that new account and you’ll have money any time you need it.”

  “I can’t take this much.”

  “Syd,” he said sternly, giving her a look, and suddenly she smiled, folding the check.

  “Thank you, best brother in the whole world.”

  “You’re welcome,” he remarked dryly. “I’d talk to Dad, but we both know it will do no good. He’s stubborn and he’s a control freak. The only thing that Dylan can ever do to wring respect from Dad is what I’m doing—make as much money as Dad. I had a running start with influential connections, a top-notch education and family money. Dylan has none of that.”

  “I know. He can never make the money Dad did, but I don’t care.”

  “Have you told Dylan?”

  “Not yet, but I will. I’ll miss my family, but at least you’re not cutting me out. It’s getting bad between Mom, Dad and me.”

  “Sorry, Syd. Dad has really focused on you. For now, it’s you and not me.”

  “He won’t bother you. I think you’ve thrown him for a loop with this latest acquisition. He wanted that chain for years.” She was quiet for a moment.

  Then Tony said, “Since he found out about Morris, he hasn’t interfered in my life. I don’t think he ever expected me to make as much money as he does.”

  “I wish I could and get him to stop meddling,” she said. “But my calling is in the medical field, not business. I can’t make the money I’d need to gain his respect and stop his interference.”

  Tony squeezed her shoulder. “Do you really love Dylan?”

  She turned wide brown eyes on her brother. “Yes. You’ve asked me before. Each time I tell you yes, I’m more certain and my love has grown stronger. I don’t care about the inheritance. We’ll get along. I have faith in Dylan. His grades were tops. He has an excellent job with a big company and hopes someday to go into business for himself. Dad says Dylan is a nobody. Mom and Dad both want me to marry one of those boys I’ve grown up with, Paul, Jason, Will. I’m not in love with any of them. I don’t want to marry them and they bore me.” She waved her fingers at Tony. “Mom and Dad would like you to marry Emma or Darcy.”

  “The day the sun rises in the west,” he remarked. “The folks haven’t said anything about that to me for several years. This past year Dad’s gotten quiet on all fronts.”

  “You’re surpassing him in business and he never, ever expected that to happen. You can thank me, too, for taking their attention.”

  “I definitely thank you.”

  “I know Mom and Dad mean what they say. They both want us to have ‘society marriages.’ But I love Dylan and I’m going to marry him.”

  “Let Dylan know what Dad has threatened. Fill him in so he knows exactly what it means. If Dylan still wants to marry you, then he’s been warned. Dylan seems to truly love you from all you’ve told me. I trust your judgment with him. The more he knows the more he’ll be prepared to deal with whatever our father does.”

  “Tony, why do we have parents like this?”

  “Look at my friends and their interfering dads—Jake and Gabe Benton, Nick Rafford. Dad’s no worse than theirs. When we were growing up, their interference was effective. Now, it’s not.”

  “Thank heavens! I don’t want him running my life,” she said. “I’m meeting Dylan in thirty minutes, so I need to go, but I just had to talk to you.”

  “Call whenever you want. You know I’m always here for you.”

  “Thank goodness,” she said. “You always stand by me in a crisis and you’ve been there when I’m hurt.”

  Tony smiled at her. When he could, he protected her from their parents’ interference, but it was impossible to always deflect their attention.

  She finished her juice and jumped to her feet. “I better run. Thanks for listening. I feel so much better with your encouragement and support.”

  “Sure. I’ll need yours sometime.”

  She gave him a smile. “That will be the day. Whatever they throw at you, you manage to overcome. Tony, thank you so, so much.”

  “Forget it. You’re there for me. You come talk whenever you want,” he said, draping his arm around her shoulders and giving her a light hug.

  She smiled up at him, then her expression changed. “Tony, they’ll try to get you to sever ties with me.”

  “Doesn’t matter. You know I’ll never do that.”

  “Thank you,” she said quietly.

  “Syd, I would think Dylan knows the graphic artists in the city. He probably knows the top one with Morris. Her name is Isabelle Smith.”

  “I’ve met her at parties Dylan and I have attended. I don’t really know her except to say hi. We’ve talked a little. From what Dylan has said, she’s very good and he admires her work. They’re friends because of their mutual interest in art. Now she works for you. She’s gorgeous,” Sydney said, her eyes dancing. “Thinking of dating an employee?”

  “I’m allowed. I’m just curious because they are both in the same field.”

  Sydney laughed. “I’ll ask Dylan about her. Maybe sometime the four of us can go to dinner.”

  “Syd—” he said in a threatening voice, and they both laughed.

  “Watch out. You’ll get Dad on your case if you start seeing an artist. Actually, you won’t. I think you’ve stopped him cold as long as you don’t lose the fortune you’ve made.”

  “It’s a damn big relief. You stop worrying so much. You and Dylan can weather Dad’s interference. If you’re really in love, it won’t matter what Dad does.”

  “I hope not. He has a lot of influence.”

  At her car Jake held the door. “Don’t pay too much attention to our parents. When Christmas comes, it may be a whole different story.”

  “If it’s not, I can live with it. I can’t live with losing you.”

  He smiled. “You’ll get along. And I’m always here for you. Take care, Syd.”

  “Sure. Thanks for the check, but mostly thank you for being the brother you are.”

  As he entered the mansion, his thoughts returned to earlier and Isabelle Smith. He wanted to see her again. He definitely would have an interview with her. Since he’d acquired Morris, three executives had resigned. He guessed from her frosty manner that she was going to resign, too. It was a plus-minus prospect. He wanted her to stay. On the other hand, if she didn’t, it might be less complicated to see her socially.

  Now he was looking forward to Thursday evening’s reception more than before.

  Two

  Isabelle gripped the steering wheel tightly. Her insides knotted. Tony Ryder was a page out of her past. He obviously had not remembered her, and nothing about her had jogged his memory. A night she wished she could forget. The most passionate night of her life, and one that she had never been able to understand.

  A singular time in which she had acted in a totally uncustomary fashion. Had it been Tony who had triggered her responses? The spring night? The looming end of the semester? She could never account for her actions to herself.

  One thing remained the same—the white-hot, sizzling attraction experienced by both of them. Even though she had tried to keep from responding in even the slightest manner to his magnetism tonight, she’d failed. He had felt the same witchery, revealing his responses in small ways.

  His riveting looks and commanding presence made him larger-than-life to her. It was impossible to see him in any ordinary manner. When they were together, she could feel the rising heat they generated. The man probably went through life getting everything he wanted. Between his money, his looks, his background, his sharp mind—how could he fail in any undertaking?

  She wanted him out of her life and she definitely wanted away from him. She hoped she’d have a new job and be gone from Morris without Tony having a clue who she was. No way did she want to work for Tony Ryder. Tony was clearly not into commitment and she was. She had read about him on business pages. He was a workaholic and obviously avoided long
-term relationships. As she approached each birthday now, her yearning for a family and a love she could trust increased. She wanted a lifelong relationship while Tony did not have even long-term relationships.

  She had told Tony she would attend the company party, but now she had second thoughts.

  Finally at home, Isabelle turned on Beethoven, showered and changed into pajamas, and poured a tall glass of cold milk. She couldn’t shake thoughts of Tony and their encounter tonight. Tony Ryder was even more handsome and appealing than he had been the night she had met him when she had been in college.

  How could he forget someone he had slept with? It had been such a passionate night. She grew warmer just thinking about it before making an effort to put those memories firmly out of mind.

  Of all people to buy out Morris Enterprises.

  Mr. Morris had planned to work four more years and then sell the company when Tony had come along with a dream offer. How she wished Tony had found other interests. Four more years with Morris would have been great. Now her future was uncertain. She had to start fresh with a new company. She would lose clients and accounts she knew well.

  When she had started at Morris, she had thought the company would never change hands. The original shipping business had started with the trucking company in the 1920s. In 1946, Morris opened the first hotel. Within two years it had become a Texas chain, and in a few more years, a national chain. As the company had continued to grow, the word with employees was that the Morrises would never sell. Until the current Morris, whose only son was immersed in the Beltway political scene. After Morris’s daughter married a jet-setting Frenchman, she no longer had interest in the family business.

  Change happened, especially nowadays when companies changed hands with the right offer. Probably due to her awards, the recognition she had received for achievements in her field, plus the large number of companies she had dealt with because of her job with Morris, she had three excellent job offers to consider.

  Thursday night she would put in an appearance, speak to Mr. Morris, as well as those she was close to at Morris, and then leave. She didn’t care to schmooze with Tony.