Will of Steel by Diana Palmer Page B

men.
    â€œI’ll tell Ted,” she said after a minute.
    His eyebrows arched.
    She averted her eyes. “We’re sort of in a situation, about the ranch. Our uncles left a clause that if we don’t get married, the ranch has to be sold at public auction. Ted thinks we should get married very soon. But I’ve been hesitant,” she said, and bit off the reason.
    He knew, without being told by her. “You need to be in therapy,” he said bluntly.
    She grimaced. “I know. But I can’t, I just can’t talk about things like that to a stranger.”
    He had a daughter about her age. He thought how it would be for her in a similar circumstance. It made him sad.
    â€œThey’re used to all sorts of terrible stories,” he began.
    â€œI can’t talk about personal things to a stranger,” she repeated.
    He sighed. “It could ruin your whole life, lock you up in ways you don’t even realize yet,” he said gently. “I’ve seen cases where women were never able to marry because of it.”
    She nodded.
    â€œDon’t you want a husband and a family?”
    â€œVery much,” she said. She ground her teeth together. “But it seems just hopeless right now.” She looked up. “That California developer is licking his lips over my ranch already. But I don’t know if I can be a good wife.Ted thinks so, but it’s a terrible gamble. I know I have hang-ups.”
    â€œThey’ll get worse,” he said bluntly. “I speak from experience. I’ve tried many cases like yours over the years. I’ve seen the victims. I know the prognosis. It isn’t pretty.”
    Her eyes were haunted and sad. “I don’t understand why he did it,” she began.
    â€œIt’s a compulsion,” he explained. “They know it’s wrong, but they can’t stop. It isn’t a matter of will.” He leaned forward. “It’s like addiction. You know, when men try to give up alcohol, but there’s something inside them that pushes them to start drinking again. It doesn’t excuse it,” he said immediately. “But I’m told that even when they try to live a normal life, it’s very difficult. It’s one day at a time.”
    He shook his head. “I see the results of addiction all the time. Alcohol, sex, cards, you name it. People destroy not only their own lives, but the lives of their families because they have a compulsion they can’t control.”
    â€œIt’s a shame there isn’t a drug you can give people to keep them from getting addicted,” she said absently.
    He burst out laughing. “Listen to you. A drug. Drugs are our biggest headache.”
    She flushed. “Sorry. Wasn’t thinking.”
    He gave her a compassionate smile. “Talk to Ted,” he said. “He’ll look out for you until our unwanted visitor leaves. In fact, there’s a vagrancy law on the books that could give him a reason to make the man leave. Tell him I said so.”
    She smiled. “I will. Thanks so much, Mr. Haynes.”
    She stood up. He did, too, and shook her hand.
    â€œIf you need help, and you can’t find Ted, you cancall me,” he said unexpectedly. He pulled out a business card and handed it to her. “My Jessica is just your age,” he added quietly. “Nothing like that ever happened to her. But if it had, I’d have a hard time remembering that my job is to uphold the law.”
    â€œJessica is very nice.”
    â€œWhy, thank you,” he chuckled. “I think so, too.”
    They didn’t discuss why he’d raised Jessica alone. Her mother had run off with a visiting public-relations man from Nevada and divorced Mr. Haynes. He’d been left with an infant daughter that his wife had no room for in her new and exciting life of travel and adventure. But he’d done very well raising her. Jessica was in medical school,