Page 101 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs

“No one will stand in my way,” she hissed as she stumbled past him and ran down the hall. She went to Lucas’s room and threw open the door. The bed was neatly made, his luggage gone. A sob of panic wrenched her throat. She rushed to her roomand grabbed her phone. With a shaky hand, she called Lucas. Despair cut at her insides when it went straight to voicemail. “It’s me.” Her voice broke. “Why did you leave? Call me!” She sent him a text, demanding that he contact her. Nothing. Her brain raced, trying to figure out what to do. She called Lexi. It also went to voicemail. She left a message asking Lexi to call her.

She sat down on her bed. For an instant, she felt disconnected from herself. Then, the scope of the situation steam rolled over her, streaming tears down her face. Anger seared a hot river of fire through her. Why had Lucas deserted her? She’d been willing to give up everything for him—for them. She’d felt so good about the situation. Just now, when she was pleading her case to Eric, the warmth that flowed into her felt like it was heaven sent. Had she completely misunderstood the impressions she was getting? Was she so desperate to find love that she’d refused to see the truth? All her hopes for the future were gone in an instant. Last night in the atrium Lucas had been fighting mad when she came in, but then everything had changed. They kissed. She felt secure in the path they were taking. A snide voice cut into her thoughts.

“I knew he wouldn’t be able to cut the mustard,” Grandfather said.

Her head snapped up. “You did this,” she seethed. At that moment, she hated him. He was cold and unfeeling, so intolerant of anyone who didn’t fit into his microscopically small box of expectations.

“I did nothing except for try and protect the interest of my granddaughter,” he said with a stiff dignity.

Disgust roiled in her stomach making her want to vomit. “You don’t care about me. You never have.”

“Yes, I do care,” he countered. “I know you’re upset, but when you calm down, you’ll realize that Lucas did you a favor.”

“A favor?” An incredulous laugh rose in her throat. “You are unbelievable,” she growled. Her voice broke. “I love Lucas. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” she said hoarsely. “If you weren’t so blinded by your idiotic social class requirements you would have seen that.” She glared at him, wishing her eyes could burn holes right through him.

He lifted his chin, his expression rigid. “When you’ve had a chance to calm down and look at this rationally, you’ll see that I’m right?—”

“Save it!” she barked. She was sick of his snobbery and judgements.

Oscar stepped into the room and placed a hand on Grandfather’s shoulder. “Let me talk to her,” he urged.

Grandfather looked like he might argue, but instead nodded. He turned on his heel and strode out of the room, his shoulders stiff and resolute as always.

Oscar went and sat down beside Magnolia. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly.

While Magnolia’s father wasn’t demonstrative when it came to emotions, he was thankfully warmer than her grandfather. Ever since her arrival yesterday at the estate, she’d felt more of a kinship with her father. That was probably because Magnolia felt like they had to bond together to stand against Grandfather. Also, her father had been kind to Lucas, treating him like a person with dignity rather than a pariah.

The dam broke as Magnolia began weeping. “How could Lucas leave me?” Her shoulders shook as she gave way to her grief.

Oscar rubbed her back. “I’m so sorry,” he said again. “You’ve only been with Lucas a short time. Your infatuation with him will fade as quickly as it blossomed.”

She turned to her father, a sense of outrage filling her chest. “Do you not know me at all?”

His jaw went slack. “What do you mean?”

Her lower lip trembled as she stared unseeingly into the distance. “For most of my adult life, I’ve floundered, trying to find my place in the world. I went to school, settled into my career. I went through the motions of the life that I was expected to live.” Her voice trembled as she rushed on. “When I was a kid, I had this huge crush on Lucas. Then, shortly after graduating from high school, the two of us went on a handful of dates.” She grunted out a brittle laugh. “I was smitten. I probably would’ve committed to him right then and there, but Lucas wasn’t ready. Fast forward to the present when Lucas and I reconnected.” Her voice hardened. “He’s the most infuriating, bullheaded man that I know.” A sad smile moved over her lips. “When he calls me princess, it’s not a compliment. Lucas is a cowboy to the core. He’s painfully blunt.” Tears blurred her vision. “He makes me want to be a better person.”

“It’ll be okay.”

A black tidal wave of fury engulfed her. “No!” she nearly shouted. “It won’t! Nothing will ever be okay again.”

Hearing the clearing of a throat, Magnolia’s head jerked up. Roman had stepped into the room. Irritation spiked through her. “What do you want?” she demanded.

“I know this is a tough time for you. I’m sorry for what you’re going through.”

“Thanks,” she said mechanically.

“I love you,” he uttered, giving her a plaintive look.

She rolled her eyes. “Roman, please. Not now.”

He held up a hand. “Just hear me out, please.”

She clamped her arms over her chest, her lips forming tight lines.

“Despite everything that has happened, I still want to marry you.”

Her jaw dropped. Was Roman for real? “This is ridiculous,” she muttered.

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