Page 9 of River Legacy
“Why do I sense there’s a story there?”
He chuckled. “It’s a tragic love story between the Stafford matriarch and the McKenna patriarch. I’m sure you wouldn’t be interested.”
“Tell me more,” she said excitedly.
He wondered if it was possible she already knew the story. Knew more about him and his ranch than he’d thought. Was it possible that she’d recognized him at the airport and this whole thing had been her father’s idea? He shook his head at how paranoid he felt when it came to Wendell Forester and the billionaire developer’s determination to buy his family’s ranch.
He reminded himself that Wen, as Claude called him, hadn’t even known Ryder was going to Billings to confront him. This couldn’t have been a setup, right? He mentally shook his head. It was this Forester family, he thought. They made him question everything.
“Your mother and the rancher next door?” Her eyes widened with delight. “Come on, how does it end?”
He sighed as he drove. It was a story that he’d lived with growing up so he knew it only too well. “My mother, Charlotte Stafford, fell in love with Holden McKenna when they were teenagers, maybe even before then knowing my mother. He marriedsomeone else and broke my mother’s heart, and the two families have been at war ever since. It’s a love-hate relationship. They’ve been rivals for years. With my mother gone from the ranch right now, we aren’t sure how her and Holden’s story ends. People in town I’m sure have taken bets on if they will ever resolve their differences and find their way back together, because we all know they still love each other.”
Ryder knew that was way too much information. He looked over at Victoria to find that she’d dozed off. He chuckled to himself. “You think the story bores you? You should have lived it.”
Wen had been in an odd mood all through dinner, something that had given Claude heartburn. By dessert, he’d expected Victoria and Ryder to show up. He hadn’t realized that the Stafford Ranch was the one his boss had been trying to buy. Wen bought whatever he wanted. If the man had mentioned problems acquiring a certain ranch in Montana, Claude didn’t recall.
When neither Victoria nor Ryder appeared, even after dinner, he said, as if merely curious, “I wonder where they are.”
His boss seemed to give that some thought. “It would be just like her to elope. But not with that cowboy—even if Victoria was telling the truth and he was her fiancé.” He smiled broadly. “I know my daughter. She’s just playing chicken with me right now.”
“You’re taking all of this awfully well,” Claude noted irritably. This night hadn’t gone anything like he’d hoped. He’d expected Wen to blow his top and send his bodyguards out to find her—and that damned cowboy.
“The best thing that could happen is for her to fall for Ryder, marry into the Stafford family, and I’d have the ranch I’ve been trying to buy and the husband my daughter needs.”
Claude blinked at him in shock. “You couldn’t wish that cowboy on your daughter—even if you do want the ranch. He’s... he’s all wrong for her.” He shook his head. “She wouldn’t really marry him and live on a ranch anyway. The celebrity rags would have a field day with it. How embarrassing for the both of you.” His boss hated what social media wrote about him and his daughter.
To his surprise, Wen laughed.
It annoyed the hell out of him. “You aren’t worried that the cowboy might actually want to marry her for your money?” Claude demanded, knowing that his boss valued his money more than anything else.
Wen shook his head as he threw down his napkin and rose to leave. “Ryder Stafford knew what I’m worth long before today, and I really doubt he was impressed. I’m not worried aboutRyder Staffordmarrying Victoria for my money.”
The way he said it made Claude’s face heat. He instantly wanted to deny that his interest in the man’s daughter had anything to do with money. Fortunately, Wen didn’t give him a chance.
“If she eloped with the cowboy,” his boss continued as they left the restaurant for the elevator to go to their rooms, “she would have saved me a bundle in the cost of a huge wedding—not to mention what I was offering for the ranch.” The man looked too pleased with himself. “Any man worth his salt would be crazy not to marry my Victoria.”
Claude gritted his teeth. “So what am I still doing here?” he demanded, realizing that he’d had more to drink than he should have. “I thought I was your choice for a son-in-law. If you knew your daughter had no intention of marrying me, why did you bring me on this trip?” The booze had loosened his tongue dangerously, but right now he didn’t care. He’d care in the morning when he was out of a job. But tonight, he was sick of trying to contain his fury.
“You’re right, Claude. Whatareyou still doing here?” Wen said, slapping him hard on the back as they took the elevator up to the tenth floor. “Truthfully, you, Claude, are what is known as a perfect catalyst. That’s why I brought you to Montana with me and strong-armed Victoria into meeting us. I thought it would force her into realizing that I’m serious about her finding a good man to marry. I knew it would force her to take action.”
“I don’t understand,” Claude said, worried that the alcohol was making it hard for him to follow.
Wen was looking at his phone. “I just got an email from my daughter via Ryder Stafford’s cell. If I’m right, she talked him into taking her to his ranch because she’d do anything to get away fromthe two of us, especially you. I wanted her to know how bad it could get ifIpicked her husband. See, you were the catalyst that now has her on her way to the Stafford Ranch. It couldn’t have worked out better if I’d planned it.”
Wen laughed so hard that Claude thought he might have to slap him to bring him out of his frenzy—which he would have gladly done. He stared at his boss, feeling heat rush to his face. “You don’t think I’ve been humiliated enough today?” he demanded.
“Oh, come on, Claude. I’m sure it’s not the first time. I suggest you get used to it. I see a lot of humiliation in your future.”
Clearly, his boss had drunk his share of alcohol tonight too. Claude had never seen him like this. “I don’t have to put up with this. I quit.”
They’d reached the tenth floor. The elevator door slid slowly open. “You can’t quit,” Wen said, unruffled as he followed him out. “You have a contract with my organization. You’ve known me long enough to realize that I would bankrupt you and see you behind bars before I’d let you break that contract. So go to bed and sleep on it,” he said as he dug for his room key. “We’ll meet for breakfast at seven downstairs in the café to discuss your future in the business and your trip to the Stafford Ranch where you will try to win back Victoria.”
Claude stared at him. “What? Why would I do that?”
“Other than you’re contracted to do pretty muchanything I ask, you mean? I thought I made myself clear. If anyone can get her to actually become engaged to Ryder Stafford, it will be you showing up at the ranch. Just seeing you there will remind her that I’m not giving up on finding her a husband of my choosing.”
“Do you realize how insulting that is?” Claude said wearily.
