Clint now operated a horse-breeding ranch on the outskirts of Austin on over three hundred acres of land. It was a ranch he had inherited from a close relative. And according to her sources, the horse-breeding business was doing quite well. Although she was curious as to why he had left the force, she really didn’t feel comfortable enough with Clint to ask him about it. She would have sworn he’d make a career of it.
Deciding it was none of her business, she thought of something that was and said, “I can’t believe the bureau would make such a mistake. The nerve of them sending that letter saying we’re married.”
They had reached his truck and he shrugged massive shoulders when he opened the truck door for her. “I couldn’t believe it at first myself. I guess it’s a good thing neither of us ever took a notion to marry.”
She decided not to tell him that she had taken a notion a couple of years ago, and had come as close as the day of her wedding before finding out what a weasel she’d been engaged to. To this day Kevin Brady hadn’t forgiven her for leaving him standing at the altar. But then she hadn’t forgiven him for sleeping with her cousin Kim a week before the wedding.
From the corner of her eye she could tell that Clint was looking at her as she slid into the smooth leather seat and couldn’t help wondering if he could see the heat that had risen in her cheeks denoting there was something she wasn’t telling him.
“You look different than before,” he said, as he casually leaned against the truck’s open door.
She threw him a sharp glance at his comment and wondered if she should take what he’d said as a compliment or an insult. She decided to probe further and asked, “In what way?”
“Different.”
A smile touched her cheeks. He was still a man of few words. “I am different,” she admitted.
“In what way?”
She chuckled. Now he was the one asking that question. “I live my life the way I want and not the way others think that I should.”
“Is that what you were doing five years ago?”
“Yes.” And she figured he didn’t need to know any more than that. He must have thought so, as well, because he closed the door and crossed in front of the truck to the driver’s side without inquiring further.
“It will be lunchtime in a little while,” he said after easing onto the seat and closing the door shut. “Do you want to stop somewhere and grab a bite to eat before we meet with Hightower?”
Lester Hightower had been the senior captain in charge of field operations when they had done that undercover assignment five years ago. “No, I prefer that we meet with Hightower as soon as possible,” she said.
He lifted a brow as he glanced over at her. “Maybe I spoke too soon earlier. If you hadn’t taken a notion to get married before should I assume you might be considering such a move now?”
She stared over at him and he did something she hadn’t expected. He smiled. And immediately she tried to ignore the heat that touched her body when the corners of his lips curved. “No, you can’t assume that. I just don’t like surprises and getting that letter was definitely a surprise.”
He nodded as he broke eye contact to start the engine. “Yes, but it’s one we shouldn’t have a problem fixing.”
“I hope you’re right.”
He glanced back over at her as he backed out of the parking space. “Of course I’m right. You’ll see.”
* * *
“What the hell do you mean we can’t get the marriage annulled?” Clint all but roared. He could not have been more shocked with what Hightower had just said.
This was the first time, in all his twelve years of knowing the man, that Clint had raised his voice to his former boss. Of course, if he’d done such a thing while still a Ranger, he would have been reprimanded severely. But Hightower was no longer his superior, and Clint felt entitled to a straight answer from the man.
He glanced over at Alyssa. She had gotten out of her chair and was leaning against the closed door. He could tell from her not-too-happy expression that she wanted answers, as well. He frowned thinking he had known the exact moment she had moved from the chair to stand by the door. He had been listening to Hightower, but at the same time he’d been very much aware of her. An uncomfortable sensation slid up his spine. He hadn’t been this fully aware of a woman in a long time.
“New procedures are in place, Westmoreland,” Clint heard Hightower say. “I don’t like them nor do I understand them. And I agree the one in your particular situation doesn’t make sense because proper procedures weren’t followed. But there’s nothing else I can tell you. We tried rectifying our mistake by immediately filing for an annulment on your and Barkley’s behalf, but since so much time has passed and because the two of you no longer work for the agency, the State is dragging their tail in acknowledging that your marriage is not a real one.”
“You’re right, that doesn’t make any sense,” Alyssa said sharply. “Clint and I have never lived under the same roof. For heaven’s sake, the marriage was never consummated, so that in itself should be grounds to grant an annulment.”
“And under normal circumstances, it would be, but the new person in charge of that department, a woman by the name of Margaret Toner, thinks otherwise. From what I understand, Toner has been married for over forty years and takes the institution of marriage seriously. We might not like it or understand her reasoning, but for now we have to abide by it.”
“Like hell!” Clint bit out, not believing what he was hearing.
“Like hell or heaven, it doesn’t matter,” Hightower said, throwing a document on the desk. “Thirty days. Toner has agreed to grant an annulment to your and Barkley’s marriage in thirty days.”
Neither Clint nor Alyssa said anything for a long moment, both figuring it was best not to, otherwise they would say the wrong thing. Instead they decided to keep the anger they felt inside. But then finally, as if accepting the finality of their situation, Alyssa spoke. “I don’t like it, Hightower, but if nothing can be done about it for thirty days, there’s little Clint and I can do. It’s been five years without me even knowing I was a married woman, so I guess another thirty days won’t kill me,” she said, glancing over at Clint.
He frowned. Although it wouldn’t kill him, either, he didn’t like it one damn bit. He enjoyed being a bachelor although unlike his brother, Cole, he’d never earned the reputation of being a ladies’ man. But Alyssa was right, they had been married five years without either of them knowing it, so another thirty days would not make or break them. There was nothing in his life that would be changing.
“Fine,” he all but snapped. “Like Alyssa, I’ll deal with it for thirty more days.”
“There’s one more thing,” Hightower hesitated a few moments before saying.
Clint’s frown deepened. He had worked with the man long enough to detect something in his voice, something Clint figured he wouldn’t like. Evidently, Alyssa picked up on it, as well, and moved away from the door to come and stand beside him.
“What other thing?” Clint asked.
Hightower
