“You folks have a lovely night now.”
Cody pulled the car forward and the gate opened. Bethany stared at him. Was this guy for real?
He maneuvered the car through heavy traffic and a maze of highway on and off ramps that made the complex street design of Washington seem almost simple. He made polite small talk about the flight, her family and living in the nation’s capital. She was equally polite, if succinct, in her answers. She was still trying to digest the change in plans.
“How long are you planning on staying?” he asked after conversation between them had died.
Taking this as a comment on the amount of luggage she’d brought, Bethany bristled. It wasn’t like her to take everything so personally but she was tired and this business of going to a ranch in Arizona when she’d prepped herself for life in Chicago was unsettling. Bethany did not deal well with change these days.
“I believe the wedding is to be set for spring. As soon as my aunt and your father are safely on their way to their honeymoon destination, I’ll be on a plane back to D.C.”
“To do what?”
Okay, it was an innocent question but it chafed because the truth was that she had no idea. In the year since Nick’s death she’d been adrift, and the life she’d imagined living at this time was no longer available to her. And the truth was that she was not about to say any of this to a complete stranger. So she changed the subject.
“And what do you do?”
“I run the ranch.”
“What about your father’s business—I mean, what’s your role in that?” she asked.
“It’s my father’s business. My business is managing the ranch.” There was no hint of irritation in his comment. He was just offering information as requested.
Bethany’s cell phone rang and she pounced on it as if it were a life preserver cast her way in the nick of time. When she saw that it was her aunt Erika’s number she answered immediately.
“Hi.”
“Hi, yourself. Did Cody find you?”
“He did,” Bethany replied as she glanced at Cody and mouthed, “It’s Erika.”
Cody grinned. “Hey there, cowgirl,” he shouted.
Erika giggled. “He’s such a tease. Are you two getting acquainted?”
“More or less.”
“Well, don’t let him feed you anything—not that he would. He and Ian are single-minded when it comes to getting from point A to point B. Absolutely no stops unless you can prove a medical emergency.”
“I ate on the plane.”
“Peanuts or pretzels?”
Bethany smiled. “Pretzels,” she admitted.
“Oh, Bethie, I cannot tell you what it means to me that you’ve come to manage this whole affair. I mean, I’m in a complete panic. Ian thinks it will be a cakewalk but what do men know? Are you at Midway yet?”
“Not quite.”
“Well, tell that handsome cowboy next to you to step on it. We have a wedding to plan—not to mention at least half a dozen prewedding events. You’re going to adore the ranch, dear. It will set your creative juices on fire with ideas.”
“About the ranch—”
Erika laughed. “Not to worry, Bethany. Crackle…all the amenities…crackle…indoor plumbing and…crackle…breaking up…” The line went dead.
Bethany looked up and saw the signs for Midway airport. Cody took a side exit and drove directly up to a large hangar where a small jet waited.
In a flurry of activity, several men rushed around transferring the luggage from the car, driving the car away and ushering Bethany onto the plane. The man in charge assured her that they were cleared for takeoff and, once they left Chicago, the weather was crystal clear all the way.
“Where shall I sit?” Bethany asked, glancing around the small interior.
“Might as well sit up front,” the man replied. “That way Cody can point out the sights.”
“He flies the plane?”
“It’s his plane,” the man said as if that were an answer. He helped her climb into the incredibly close quarters of the cockpit. “You might want to take off your shoes—it’ll give you more legroom.”
“I’m fine,” she replied tightly. What was it with these people and her shoes?
The man nodded, handed her a headset and exited the plane. She watched as he conferred with Cody for several minutes, then took his leave—laughing, of course, at something the ever-cheerful Cody had said.
“Let’s rock and roll,” Cody said as he wedged his lanky frame into the pilot’s seat and fired the small jet to life.
“You’ve been doing this for a while?” Bethany shouted over the roar.
“Maiden voyage,” Cody replied deadpan and then he grinned at her stunned expression. “Relax. I’ve done over a thousand hours.”
“In English, please.”
“I’m an experienced pilot,” he replied and taxied slowly toward the runway.
As they climbed smoothly above the earth, Bethany could not help but be impressed by the view below. Cody pointed out landmarks and Bethany relaxed as she enjoyed this bird’s-eye view of the city. Maybe she could have a future in Chicago. The ranch was just temporary. Chicago was where Erika and Ian lived, where they had their life. She could deal with the ranch for a day or two, she decided and, as they left Chicago behind, she leaned her head against the window and fell sound asleep.
Cody had never met anyone as wired as Bethany Taft appeared to be. Anxiety and stress fairly oozed from her. It was as if she were fearful and certain at the same time that she would be blindsided by some unforeseen circumstance.
Not that he didn’t understand that—he’d had a sense of subliminal panic ever since the day he’d gotten the call about his brother’s accident. He couldn’t help but wonder what might cause that look for Bethany. He’d first noticed it when he’d mentioned the ranch. Further evidence could be found in the way she tried to control everything and everyone. He’d done that in the first months after Ty died until he realized that all it did was feed his panic. What if he made the wrong decision, the wrong choice, as he had the day Ty died?
He forced himself to silence his inner voice and concentrate on Bethany. He could see the glint of her cell phone, still clutched in one hand. The thing was like an extra arm or ear or something. Personally he’d never been able to understand the constant need to be in touch with the outside world. What kind of person needed that? He preferred those times when he wasn’t in touch with anything or anyone.
He hoped Erika knew what she was doing, asking this high maintenance, overreactive woman
