Hank shrugged and ambled up the steps toward her. To her amazement, he now appeared to be annoyed with her! “I told you I’ve been talking business with Lulu.”
Ally warned herself to resist jumping to further conclusions. “I thought-hoped-you were just getting advice from her, or making use of her considerable connections in the venture capital and banking community, since she went to an Ivy League business school and worked in the financial sector before she came back to take over her dad’s restaurant.”
Hank stepped closer. It was clear from the look on his face that he wanted to tell her everything but for some reason still couldn’t. Or still wouldn’t. Frustration welled up inside Ally, as potent as hurt. “I’ve given you no reason to mistrust me.”
Hadn’t he? “Those glances Lulu has been giving you all evening say otherwise.”
Hank’s jaw set with the resolve of an ex-marine. “I’ve told you before. You have no reason to be jealous.”
Ally threw up her hands. Her feelings had been constantly dismissed and disregarded by her parents. No way was she letting it happen to her again.
She regarded Hank coldly. “I have every reason, given how happy Lulu is and how unhappy I am right now.”
“It’s just business.”
How many times had her parents told her that, while excluding and ignoring her? How many times had she been expected to just go away quietly and wait for the crumbs of their attention? “Then why can’t you tell me about it right now?” Ally countered with a burning resentment she could no longer contain. “Why are you treating me the way you’re treating your parents and heaven only knows who else?” Ally ignored Hank’s dissenting frown and rushed on miserably. “By only telling us what you feel we have a right to know at any given time, and yet still expecting us to magically understand what is going on in your mind and your heart?”
Hank’s spine stiffened. “When you really care about someone, you take things on faith,” he returned gruffly.
Like Lulu apparently was?
“Your dad is right,” Ally warned flatly. “You can’t have intimate relationships with both Lulu and me simultaneously.”
Hank folded his arms in front of him deliberately. “I know what you’re thinking and you’re wrong, Ally. Lulu and I are just friends.”
Maybe not physically…at least not yet…
Ally set her jaw and took a stance. “I saw the way Lulu’s been smiling at you all evening, Hank.”
He lifted a hand. “She’s excited!”
Jealousy flared inside Ally. “I bet!”
Hank’s eyes narrowed. “I need you to believe in me, Ally.”
No doubt he did, Ally thought. But he wasn’t the only one with requirements for personal happiness. “And I need a life where I don’t feel excluded by ranch business, the way I did when I was growing up!”
More to the point, she had wanted to be an integral part of Hank’s efforts to purchase and build up Mesquite Ridge. Not Lulu. Ally had even, through clever financial analysis, found a way to do so that would meet both their monetary needs. For all the good it had done them.
Ally gestured dismissively. “Whatever the deal with Lulu is, I won’t accept it.”
Hank scowled. “I’ve spent days working on this,” he warned.
How well Ally knew that! “I don’t care. It’s pulling us apart, and you have other options.”
A muscle ticked in his cheek. He stared at her as if she were a stranger. “You’re not even going to give me a chance to lay out the proposal for you tomorrow at noon?” he asked incredulously.
“Not if the plan involves the participation of Lulu Sanderson or any of her money or ideas.” Because there was no way Ally was playing second fiddle to another woman, or being shut out by Hank and Lulu in the way she had been emotionally shut out by her folks. Especially over ranch business.
Hank studied her a long moment. His expression was grave. “You’re serious.”
“Dead serious,” Ally stated bluntly.
Anger flashed in his blue eyes. “I wish you’d made this clear a lot earlier.”
“Me, too,” Ally said bitterly, as the tears she’d been holding back spilled over and ran down her cheeks. “Because if I had,” she choked out, unable to hide the depth of her distress any longer, “you and I never would have made love. We never would have come here together tonight.”
“You can say that again.” Hurt and resentment scored his low tone.
With effort, Ally gathered her dignity. “But not to worry, Hank. We won’t be leaving together. Because whatever this was-” though it had felt like the love of a lifetime “-is over.”
Her heart breaking, Ally turned on her heel and walked inside. She got her purse, her coat, and walked back out, to call a cab. Looking every bit as disappointed and disillusioned as she felt, Hank made no move to stop her.
“I FIGURED YOU’D SHOW UP here sooner or later,” Jeb McCabe said.
If anyone could understand the mess he found himself in, Hank figured it was his oldest brother. “Can I bunk here tonight?”
Jeb beckoned him in. “Ally kick you out?”
“No.”
Jeb ambled into the kitchen and broke out the beer. “She sure left the open house in a huff.”
Hank removed the cap on his and took a long drink. He tensed at the memory. “You saw that, huh?”
“See, that’s why I’m married to my ranch.” Jeb rummaged around and brought out a hunk of summer sausage, too. “Women are just too much trouble.”
Hank pulled up a chair. “You wouldn’t believe that if you’d spent the last two weeks under the same roof with Ally Garrett.”
Jeb smirked. “While pursuing Lulu Sanderson on the side.”
Not his brother, too! “For the last time, there’s nothing romantic going on between me and Lulu!”
“Then why is Ally so jealous?” Jeb opened a can of nuts and tossed a handful in his mouth. “’Cause I saw the way Lulu was looking at you and the way Ally was looking at Lulu. Not good, little bro. Not good at all.”
Hank felt like a man who was fast coming to the end of his rope. “Lulu and I have a business deal in the works,” he explained for what felt like the millionth time. “One I’m not at liberty to discuss. And won’t be until the final details are set.”
Jeb shrugged. “So tell Ally that.”
Hank munched glumly on a slice of sausage. “I did… sort of. It didn’t help. She feels excluded.”
Jeb took another pull of beer. “Then call off the business deal.”
Hank rolled his eyes. “I can’t. Not if I want to buy Mesquite Ridge.” And he did.
Jeb smiled like the carefree bachelor he was. “Sure you can. Just accept Dad’s offer.”
Hank froze. Was there no end to his humiliation tonight? “You know about that?”
His brother sighed. “For the record, I told Dad not to do it. That you’d only be insulted.”
Obviously, their father had not listened. “As would you have been,” Hank muttered, still fuming over having been treated like a snot-nosed kid who couldn’t put a business deal together if he tried.
“True.” Jeb leaned forward in his chair. “Although maybe Mom and Dad wouldn’t hover over you so much if you talked to them more, let ’em know what’s on your mind. And the same goes for Ally. ’Cause you can’t be really close to someone unless you can confide in ’em.”
Enough with the greeting card sentiment! “You sound like Ally,” Hank grumbled, downing the rest of his beer.
“So?”
A goading silence fell. “It’s not that easy.” Hank returned his brother’s level gaze. Not for me anyway. I don’t like showing weakness. Don’t like being forced to open up.