Page 103 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs

Her head swung back and forth. “That’s absurd. I always knew that Carol was a control freak, but this takes the cake.”

“Benjamin didn’t have any intention of approving me. I don’t fit into his sleek, black-tie world.”

Lillian frowned so deeply that the edges of her eyes were enfolded in deep wrinkles that could’ve given a basset hound a run for its money. “Is Benjamin really that shallow?”

His voice rose. “Evidently. I’m living proof.”

“So, what happened? Did Magnolia not stand by you?”

“Oh, yeah,” he answered quickly, “she did. She was determined to go through with the marriage, with or without her grandfather’s approval.”

“Good for her.” Lillian steeled her jaw, admiration simmering in her eyes. A second later, she gave Lucas a questioning look. “If Magnolia stood by you, then why are you here?”

He pushed out a long breath. “Oscar came to me last night. He told me his story, about how he defied his parents and married Magnolia’s mother. Carol and Benjamin disinherited him. The friction of losing the money drove a wedge between the couple. Eventually, their marriage fell apart.”

“I didn’t know that. It’s a shame.”

“Oscar told me that if Magnolia and I went through with our marriage, then we would follow the same path. Magnolia doesn’t know what it’s like to live without money. She would have ended up resenting me in the end.” His gut knotted. “I couldn’t be the cause of her losing her inheritance.”

Lillian’s voice rose. “So you just walked away?”

“What choice did I have?” Acid rose in his throat.

“You could’ve stayed and fought.” Her voice was coated in reproof. “I believe that when push came to shove, Benjamin would have backed down. Surely he wants Magnolia to get her inheritance. Benjamin has more money than he knows what to do with.”

“Magnolia will get her inheritance,” Lucas said calmly, although his insides were raging up a storm. “She’ll marry her ex-boyfriend, Roman Abbott.”

Lillian’s jaw dropped. “Where does the ex-boyfriend come in? I thought he was officially out of the picture.”

He rubbed a hand across his forehead. He’d thought it would help to talk to Lillian, but it was only making him feel worse. No matter where he went or what he did, nothing could stop the raging in his head. All he knew to do was to keep putting one foot in front of the other and to keep breathing in and out. He couldn’t think past the next few minutes. It was too painful. “Before Magnolia and I got together she’d been dating Roman. The two of them broke up when Magnolia saw him having dinner with another woman. Lillian’s eyes rounded to large circles as Lucas continued. Magnolia had planned to marry Roman so she could get her inheritance.”

“Yes, Benjamin told me that. He was afraid that Magnolia had grabbed the first guy she could find on the rebound to fulfill the terms of the trust. Sorry, I mean no disrespect to you,” she said when Lucas grimaced.

“It’s okay. I’ll take my fair share of the blame. Magnolia was desperate. She agreed to buy me a ranch if I agreed to marry her.”

“Ah, the rest of the picture shifts into place. That’s why you were out, trying to find Arthur’s ranch.”

“Yep, that’s why.” He grunted. “The only thing I didn’t count on was actually falling in love with Magnolia.”

A coy smile curved Lillian’s ruby lips. “I know true love when I see it,” she asserted. She dipped her head. “I still don’t understand. How the boyfriend … what was his name again?”

“Roman Abbott.”

“That’s right. How does Roman Abbott play into this?”

“He was at the Bentley estate when we arrived. Shortly after Magnolia and I met with Benjamin in his study, Benjamin got his housekeeper to bring Roman in.” His eyes narrowed. “Roman proceeded to tell Magnolia how sorry he was. Heclaimed that the girl he’d gone to dinner with was an old friend. He pleaded for Magnolia’s forgiveness, telling her that he wanted her back.”

Lillian snorted. “More like he wants access to her inheritance.”

“No, I don’t think so. Magnolia never told Roman about the inheritance. Had Roman not been there, I might’ve stood a fighting chance. However, in Benjamin’s eyes there was no contest between me and Roman. He’s from the same background as Magnolia. He got his master’s from Columbia University and plans on teaching at Harvard. Oscar asked me to step down so that Roman could marry Magnolia. That way, she gets to claim her inheritance, and they ride off into the sunset together,” he finished bitterly.

Lillian sat back in her seat, drumming her fingers on her pants. “It certainly seems like everything is tied up in a neat bow. It’s a good thing Roman was there, waiting in the wings, to marry Magnolia. How benevolent of him to want to reconcile, especially since he had no idea that she stood to inherit a fortune.” She looked thoughtful. “I wonder …”

Lucas frowned. “Are you saying there has been some foul play?”

She pursed her lips together. “I’m not sure what I’m saying, only that it’s convenient that Roman Abbott was there. Abbott …” she mused. “Why does that name sound so familiar? I can’t quite place it, but I’ll figure it out. How was Eric Stanford?”

Lucas shrugged. “Cordial, diplomatic. Although I could tell that Eric won’t make a move without Benjamin’s approval.”

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