“No buts, I’ve asked and asked you not to call me that, but you’re just like your father. You think you know what’s best for other people so you do what you want anyway. Even when that person has asked you repeatedly not to call her that.” Over twenty years’ worth of frustrations and hurt spewed forth all at once. “Well, guess what? I don’t like it, so don’t!”
“What’s wrong with you, Eleanor?”
The way he enunciated her name grated on her nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard. “Nothing.”
“Is this about the pregnancy? It’s normal for you to feel emotional.”
Emotional? Yes, she felt emotional. Overflowing with emotions. All of which centered around the man staring at her as if he wasn’t quite sure what to think.
“Sure, I’m probably just hormonal.” She actually felt hormonal. She felt overwhelmed. Sad. As if every nerve ending in her body was in motion.
He raked his fingers through his hair, leaving dark tufts in disarray. “I don’t understand what’s going on, why you’re doing this.”
She glanced at the open suitcase on the bed. “I’m packing my bags so I can go home. I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be with you. I just want to go home. Now.”
He flinched almost as if she’d struck him. His lips tightened to a thin line. He sighed, seemed to come to some decision. “Fine, I’ll have Harry fly you to the airport. If he can’t because of the rodeo, I’ll fly us there.” At her look of alarm, he added, “It’s been a while, but I have my pilot’s license. Harry and I took lessons at the same time during our teens and have flown since.” He paused, stared straight into her eyes. “You’re sure this is what you want?”
At the moment, leaving was the only thing she was sure of. She needed to be moving, to be taking action, to soothe the anxiety rising within her that was threatening to go into a full-blown panic attack, to get home to where she could dissect the emotions rushing through her.
“Get me home, Ty.” She wanted to be as far away from Texas as she could possibly get. New York sounded just about perfect.
She watched walls slide into place as he shielded his emotions behind an expression she’d never seen on his face before. One almost of indifference.
“Fine.” He sounded as if he couldn’t care less, that what she did didn’t matter to him and he’d just as soon she leave as stay. “You want to go home. I’ll get you home.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
ELEANOR SAT ON Ty’s bed, uncertain about what she needed to do. He’d disappeared more than thirty minutes ago, saying he’d be back for her when the plane was ready. She’d finished packing and had been sitting on the bed ever since.
A light knock sounded on Ty’s door. Much lighter than Ty would have done. Not that he’d have knocked to enter his own bedroom anyway.
Although she didn’t want to face anyone, she refused to show any remorse over her confrontation with Ty’s father. She’d meant every word.
“Ellie,” Ty’s mother called through the door. “May I please come in? Please.”
Taking a deep breath, Eleanor crossed the room, opened the door and moved aside for the woman to enter.
When inside the room she looked as uncomfortable as Eleanor felt.
“I suppose you think my husband is terrible.”
Eleanor didn’t speak. Really, what could she say?
“He isn’t. He was just raised a certain way and sees the world in black-and-white with no shades of gray.”
“Ty being a doctor isn’t a shade of gray.”
His mother smiled, surprising Eleanor. “I heard the two of you argue. I wasn’t intentionally eavesdropping. I came to find you, to tell you how happy I am Ty has a strong woman like you.”
Eleanor wanted to laugh. Her, strong? Ha. Ty’s mother had her confused with someone else.
“So the fact that even now you defend him, well, it makes this mother’s heart sing with joy.” Then she surprised Eleanor even further by wrapping her arms around her. “Please reconsider leaving. My son loves you. Stay and talk this out with him.”
Eleanor reeled at the woman’s words. “Ty doesn’t love me.”
She supposed the woman might think that as he’d brought her here when he’d never brought a woman home. Then there was the whole thing of being pregnant with his baby.
“Has he not told you?” Then his mother frowned. “Have you told him how you feel? That you’re in love with him?”
“I don’t love Ty,” she denied, but even as she said the words, she realized that she did.
That perhaps on the night he’d rescued her at the ribbon-cutting she’d fallen hopelessly in love with Ty Donaldson.
Standing just inside the open door of his bedroom, Ty recalled exactly why he’d been taught not to eavesdrop.
He flinched at the words that stopped him cold.
Hearing Ellie say she didn’t love him cut straight through his chest, right to the soft center of his heart.
Hell, he was making a habit of eavesdropping today and nothing good had come out of it yet.
Squaring his shoulders, he cleared his throat.
Both women spun toward him.
“Ty!” Ellie gasped, her face flushing, her eyes bright, guilty. Guilty because she didn’t love him and he’d heard her say so.
Thank God he hadn’t poured his sappy heart out to her earlier.
“The plane is fueled up and Harry is going to fly you to Houston. I’ve booked you a seat on the first available flight back to New York.”
Her gaze dropped, then she nodded. “Thank you.”
“Ty,” his mother said, stepping toward him, “I was just trying to convince Ellie to stay. Don’t you think that’s a good idea?”
“Her name is Eleanor and, no, I don’t think her staying is a good idea at all.” Never would he be accused of forcing a woman to be with him when she’d so plainly said she didn’t want to be.
His mother let out a loud sigh. “You’re as stubborn as your father.” With a shake of her head she hugged Ellie. “For whatever it’s worth, I hope you change your mind and decide to stay. This family needs to heal and you started that process today. Please don’t leave without seeing it through.”
Heal? His mother thought what had happened between him and his father had been healing? Wrong. The confrontation had been like ripping the scab off a deep wound. Nothing more.
Looking torn, Eleanor hugged his
