a tall, model thin, exquisitely dressed woman. Chaney stopped her forward motion as the woman turned back to look in the car. She spoke sharply to whoever was inside before turning back toward Chaney.
A manicured hand slipped sunglasses down her perfect nose while heavily made-up eyes gave Chaney the once over.
“Go get Mr. Sampson,” the woman ordered.
The denigrating tone of the woman’s voice had Chaney’s hackles rising. “Excuse me?”
“I told you to go get your employer. Are you deaf?”
“My boss?” Chaney said her voice deceptively low. She wanted to know whom she was dealing with before she ate her up and spit her out. “And who would I tell my boss, is asking for him?”
“His wife,” the woman said.
“You’re Jed Sampson’s wife?” Chaney almost choked on the words. Steve’s words came back clear as crystal, ‘ she’s a looker .’ His knack for understatement was amazing. While Chaney stared in disbelief, the woman turned back to the car again and screeched at the other person inside. The shrill sound of her voice brought Chaney out of her stupor.
“I guess you mean ex-wife, since I happen to be married to Jed now,” Chaney said smoothly, stepping closer to the limo.
The woman spun back to face Chaney. This time, the sunglasses came all the way off and there was no doubt the woman was evaluating her. “You’re what . . . I mean who Jed married?”
Oh Chaney would enjoy bringing this one down. The image of her hand crashing into the woman’s surgically improved nose popped into Chaney’s mind. On the heel of that thought, was the thought of how much the woman could sue her for doing so. Not that it wouldn’t be worth it, but the ranch couldn’t handle the expense right now.
“Yes, this is my wife,” Jed’s voice answered the woman before Chaney could move beyond her bloody daydream.
“Well, Jed, darling, you always did have a com mon side I couldn’t relate to.”
If Jed hadn’t come up beside her at that very moment and clamped his steel band of an arm around her shoulders Chaney would de finitely have decked the witch.
“What do you want, Johanna?”
Before answering, the woman turned to the car a final time and this time dragged the other person out. Chaney was shocked to see an adorable little girl slide off the seat and stand beside the woman.
“Ashley!” Jed released Chaney and knelt as the little girl ran into his open arms. Tears coursed down the child’s face.
“Edward and I had a change of plans, so I decided you could have her while we’re gone. This changes nothing. She’s still mine. Your little scheme, marrying this . . . this farmer to win custody won’t work.” She motioned to the driver and he went to the car’s trunk and pulled out two small suitcases. “We’ll be gone for two weeks. Enjoy her while you can. It may be the last time you see her.” With that threat, the she-devil climbed back in the car and slammed the door.
Chaney stood rooted to the same spot she’d been in when Jed had let go of her. She was there when the limo pulled down the driveway. Ashley? Custody? Scheme? Farmer ? Her temperature rose with each question, and it had nothing to do with the blistering sun they stood under.
As much as she wanted to lay into Jed, she couldn’t cause the child he held in his arms any more anguish at the moment. The girl’s tears had subsided and a timid smile was trying to peak out. Chaney stepped to the suitcases. “Why don’t we go inside and see if Martha has some cookies for you after your trip.” Picking up the girl’s bag s Chaney walked into the house.
After setting the suitcases by the stairs, she led them into the kitchen.
“Martha, I have a surprise for you. Jed’s daughter has come to see us.” Chaney spoke quickly and smiled hoping her housekeeper would take the hint and not say anything to upset the l ittle girl.
When Jed stepped fully into the room still holding his daughter in his arms, it struck Chaney
A manicured hand slipped sunglasses down her perfect nose while heavily made-up eyes gave Chaney the once over.
“Go get Mr. Sampson,” the woman ordered.
The denigrating tone of the woman’s voice had Chaney’s hackles rising. “Excuse me?”
“I told you to go get your employer. Are you deaf?”
“My boss?” Chaney said her voice deceptively low. She wanted to know whom she was dealing with before she ate her up and spit her out. “And who would I tell my boss, is asking for him?”
“His wife,” the woman said.
“You’re Jed Sampson’s wife?” Chaney almost choked on the words. Steve’s words came back clear as crystal, ‘ she’s a looker .’ His knack for understatement was amazing. While Chaney stared in disbelief, the woman turned back to the car again and screeched at the other person inside. The shrill sound of her voice brought Chaney out of her stupor.
“I guess you mean ex-wife, since I happen to be married to Jed now,” Chaney said smoothly, stepping closer to the limo.
The woman spun back to face Chaney. This time, the sunglasses came all the way off and there was no doubt the woman was evaluating her. “You’re what . . . I mean who Jed married?”
Oh Chaney would enjoy bringing this one down. The image of her hand crashing into the woman’s surgically improved nose popped into Chaney’s mind. On the heel of that thought, was the thought of how much the woman could sue her for doing so. Not that it wouldn’t be worth it, but the ranch couldn’t handle the expense right now.
“Yes, this is my wife,” Jed’s voice answered the woman before Chaney could move beyond her bloody daydream.
“Well, Jed, darling, you always did have a com mon side I couldn’t relate to.”
If Jed hadn’t come up beside her at that very moment and clamped his steel band of an arm around her shoulders Chaney would de finitely have decked the witch.
“What do you want, Johanna?”
Before answering, the woman turned to the car a final time and this time dragged the other person out. Chaney was shocked to see an adorable little girl slide off the seat and stand beside the woman.
“Ashley!” Jed released Chaney and knelt as the little girl ran into his open arms. Tears coursed down the child’s face.
“Edward and I had a change of plans, so I decided you could have her while we’re gone. This changes nothing. She’s still mine. Your little scheme, marrying this . . . this farmer to win custody won’t work.” She motioned to the driver and he went to the car’s trunk and pulled out two small suitcases. “We’ll be gone for two weeks. Enjoy her while you can. It may be the last time you see her.” With that threat, the she-devil climbed back in the car and slammed the door.
Chaney stood rooted to the same spot she’d been in when Jed had let go of her. She was there when the limo pulled down the driveway. Ashley? Custody? Scheme? Farmer ? Her temperature rose with each question, and it had nothing to do with the blistering sun they stood under.
As much as she wanted to lay into Jed, she couldn’t cause the child he held in his arms any more anguish at the moment. The girl’s tears had subsided and a timid smile was trying to peak out. Chaney stepped to the suitcases. “Why don’t we go inside and see if Martha has some cookies for you after your trip.” Picking up the girl’s bag s Chaney walked into the house.
After setting the suitcases by the stairs, she led them into the kitchen.
“Martha, I have a surprise for you. Jed’s daughter has come to see us.” Chaney spoke quickly and smiled hoping her housekeeper would take the hint and not say anything to upset the l ittle girl.
When Jed stepped fully into the room still holding his daughter in his arms, it struck Chaney
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