Lay Down the Law Read online

  “Peyton Davis.” Nice name. Lily repeated it silently in her head, several times. She wanted to say it out loud again, but didn’t want to seem crazy. Instead she focused on the other details Courtney had provided. A lot of information, but not much substance. Did Peyton know Virginia from when she used to live in Dallas or was she easily charmed by shallow beauty? She decided Peyton must know her. Virginia moved fast, but even she didn’t move that fast. Lily watched for a few more seconds, and then decided she didn’t care how Peyton knew Virginia, especially since Virginia’s pole climbing routine hadn’t distracted Peyton from their connection yet. “Introduce me.”

  “Really?”

  Lily broke her connection with Peyton for a quick second, and turned to Courtney. “Yes, please. Now.”

  “Okay.” Courtney whispered something to Zach Davis, who hadn’t left her side, and then tugged Lily’s arm. “Come on then.”

  “Wait, she’s gone!” Lily glanced in every direction. She’d only looked away for a second, and now it was like the entire silent exchange had been a figment of her imagination. No matter where she looked, she didn’t see a single sign of Peyton, and Virginia had disappeared too. Didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what had happened.

  “She has to be here somewhere,” Courtney said. “Let’s look around.”

  Lily took a moment to consider before shrugging the idea away. She was here to do a job, not stalk handsome strangers. She and Courtney were supposed to make everyone feel welcome and receptive to parting with their money in the name of cancer research. Time to focus.

  “No, the whim has passed. I’m over it. Sorry. Let’s get to work.” Without waiting for a response, she marched past Dalton who was chatting up the rest of the Davis family and took up a position near the gate to welcome the rest of the guests as they arrived. She cast one look back. No sign of Peyton, but she did catch Courtney giving Zach Davis a very friendly hug before she walked over to join her.

  “That was quick,” she whispered.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You just met the guy and it looks like you have plans for later.”

  “We might. You should try it sometime.”

  “Making plans with some guy?”

  “No, silly. Being impulsive. Once everyone arrives, take a break and go find Peyton. Better yet, why don’t I ask Zach to introduce you?”

  Lily nearly burst into flames. “Don’t you dare,” she hissed. “If you do, I will never speak to you again.”

  “Cool it, girl. I’m not going to embarrass you, but if you want someone, you’ve got to take the bull by the horns and go get her.”

  “Bull, huh? Don’t talk to me like I’m a virgin teenager. I’m perfectly capable of getting what I want.”

  “Sure, honey. The problem is you don’t. When are you going to realize you’re the best-looking woman in this city and you should take advantage of your assets while you have them? You haven’t dated a single woman since you’ve been back, have you?”

  Lily shot her a scathing glance, but Courtney was already back in hostess mode, shaking the hands of newly arrived guests. Didn’t matter what Courtney said. She was perfectly capable of attracting another woman and she could do so whenever she wanted. After all, she hadn’t been the only one staring across the room. Peyton Davis had been just as interested as she was. At least until Virginia, with her wandering hands and whispered promises, came along. Well, if that was the kind of woman Peyton Davis was attracted to, she was better off not making her acquaintance.

  *

  “Come on and dance with me.”

  Peyton pushed her way out of Virginia Taylor’s grasp. “Thanks, but no thanks.” She’d let Virginia drag her to the other side of the party supposedly to meet up with some of her friends, but so far it was looking like a ploy to get her alone. Peyton’s polite quotient had run out. If she didn’t make a break for it now, she’d never get back to her family in the growing crowd, let alone find the dark-haired beauty from earlier.

  “Peyton, over here!”

  Relieved to hear Zach’s voice, she murmured apologies to Virginia, and made her way over to the bar where he stood with a tall blonde. “Where’s everyone else?”

  “Mom and Dad went to look at the silent auction. Neil’s not here yet.” He gestured to Courtney. “Peyton, this is Courtney Pearson. Can I get you two something to drink?”

  Courtney said, “I’ll have a glass of champagne, but when I ask for another, stop me. Technically, I’m working.”

  Peyton ordered a beer. “What does technically working mean?”

  “She’s the chair of the whole damn event,” Zach said. “She’s in charge of everything.”

  Courtney lifted her glass. “Co-chair.” She took a drink and looked pointedly at Peyton. “I couldn’t have done it without help from my good friend, Lily Gantry. Have you met her? She was at the front gate when you came in. Dark and mysterious, a real beauty. I can arrange for an introduction if you like.”

  Peyton spent a moment pondering the question beneath the question before responding. She’d only come here tonight out of a sense of tradition. She’d had absolutely no intention of spending the evening chasing a skirt, no matter how captivated she was by the wearer. She sought to bow out gracefully. “I’m afraid I haven’t had the pleasure, but if she’s ‘technically working’ like you, I can meet her some other time.”

  “I’ll have her come by your table. You’ll love her.”

  Peyton nodded her reply while Zach smirked. Time to move along before she wound up the subject of his meddlesome matchmaking. “I should find Mom and Dad. I’ll catch up with you both later.” She had no idea where her parents were, but being hemmed in at the bar was wearing on her nerves. She offered a slight bow and made her way across the room, giving silent thanks that the event was outside. When the crowd closed in, she could pretend she was at a real ranch, steps from her horse and dozens of winding trails. Her horse. Ranger. She supposed he wasn’t really hers anymore and she’d have to get used to that. Still, she planned to make time to ride him tomorrow. Today had been a whirlwind, but tomorrow she could settle into some routine. Take a ride, figure out her next steps.

  “You already ditch the rest of the family?”

  Peyton recognized the voice of her older brother and she knew he wasn’t kidding. “I walked them in. You would know that if you’d shown up with the rest of us.”

  He took a step in front of her and moved close. Passersby probably thought he was about to hug her, but his low tones delivered only anger. “Don’t lecture me on obligations. You have no idea what’s been going on here, and if you think you’re going to show up and be welcomed like the prodigal daughter, then you’re in for a big surprise.”

  Peyton shook her head. She’d been prepared for Neil to be unhappy with her, but she hadn’t planned on such vitriol. No point in responding. Anything she said at this point would be fuel to the fire he’d been tending since before she’d left. She bit back a response and resolved that this week she’d find a place of her own, close to work. She could handle city life a bit longer while she figured out what her future held.

  She’d been grateful for the transfer back to her hometown, but it had come through so fast, she hadn’t had a chance to make proper plans. Her boss in D.C., Deputy Attorney General Rodriguez, probably thought he was doing her a favor by pushing it through, but the rush meant she hadn’t had time to find a place of her own. A place where she wouldn’t have to deal with her brother’s lingering anger. She faced Neil, knowing what she wanted to say, but also knowing he wasn’t ready to hear it. She settled for a conciliatory stance.

  “I don’t expect anything, but if there’s anything you need, I’m here and I’m happy to help.”

  Neil took a long draw from his beer before answering. “I think you know how you can help best. Stick to your law job and leave the ranching to us.”

  “Careful, Neil, you sound like the sheriff in an old Western. Next thing
you know, you’re going to gather the townsfolk and run me out on a rail. Don’t worry. It’s not my plan to get in your way. Besides, it sounds like Zach has plenty of energy and enthusiasm for the job.”

  Neil’s brow tensed further at the mention of their younger brother. “Zach’s a piece of work, but I can handle him. Don’t you worry.”

  She hadn’t planned on it, but the strong undertow of anxiety that accompanied his words stuck with her. Before she could examine it further, her biggest distraction of the evening was suddenly at her side. From a distance, Lily Gantry had been beautiful. Up close, she was stunning. Peyton sucked in a breath at the sight of her caramel skin, deep brown eyes, and waves of jet-black hair. But Lily’s smile was the winning feature, and Peyton wanted to be the one responsible for her radiance. For now, she returned the smile and held out a hand. “You must be Lily Gantry.”

  “And you must be Peyton Davis.” Lily took her hand. The touch was soft, yet firm. It lingered. “I’m glad to finally meet you.”

  “My pleasure. I was hoping to make your acquaintance.”

  “Perfect, then we have something in common, right off the bat.”

  Neil cleared his throat and Peyton glanced down at her hand, still holding Lily’s. She shot Lily a look of regret and gently released her hold. Figured. Neil didn’t want her in his life, but he had no problem standing square in the middle of hers. She motioned to him with her now free hand. “And this is my brother, Neil Davis.”

  “Good to meet you, Neil.” Lily’s eyes slid back to Peyton’s. “I met your other brother, Zach, earlier. Does that complete the collection of Davis siblings or are there more of you?”

  “That’s all of us.”

  “And all of you are ranchers?”

  Peyton paused and Neil jumped into the break. “Peyton’s not a rancher. She’s a fancy lawyer. Doubt she’s been on a horse in years.”

  He punctuated his remarks with a smile Peyton knew he didn’t feel, but she kept silent and watched as Lily looked between them, obviously trying to gauge whether Neil’s words carried true animosity. She knew they did, but he’d injected enough teasing tone to fool a stranger. She had no plans to engage and merely waited for Lily’s response.

  Again, Lily addressed her directly. “Too bad. I was hoping I might be able to arrange a ride. The Davis quarter horses are reputed to be the best in Texas.”

  Peyton looked at Neil before she answered and when she did speak her words were deliberate. “Reputation can be deceiving, but our horses are the best. I’d be honored to escort you on a ride.”

  “Excellent. I’ll write down my number and you can call me when you’re available.” Lily took her hand again, her grip firm and sure, her fingers lingering as she released her hold. “I should get back to work, but I hope you have a wonderful evening.”

  Seconds later, Lily disappeared into the crowd. Peyton watched her go, watched the light fade with every step Lily took in the opposite direction. She waited until Lily was completely out of sight before turning back to face Neil. His expression was incredulous, and Peyton didn’t wait for him to take the first jab.

  “Guess I’ll need some time with the horses this week. And gee, I hope I remember how to ride.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  “No, she hasn’t called.” Lily placed the phone between her shoulder and ear as she shuffled the papers on her desk. She’d spent Monday morning at the Cattle Baron office sorting through the aftermath of the ball: receipts, donations, lists of auction winners whose money they still needed to collect. More often than she wanted to admit, her thoughts had strayed to memories of Peyton Davis and her electrifying first impression. “Maybe she was just being polite. Besides, her brother Neil acted like she wasn’t much of a horsewoman.”

  “That’s not what Zach says,” Courtney spoke the words in a conspiratorial whisper. “He says she’s an accomplished rider and has won all kinds of awards.”

  “Maybe that was a long time ago.”

  “Not that long.”

  “Aren’t you supposed to be making me feel better?”

  “Sorry. I guess I’m just saying there are more layers there than you may want to peel your way through.”

  “Maybe.” Lily closed her eyes and conjured Peyton’s handsome face. Her strong jawline, gentle eyes, and barely tamed hair. And the killer smile that invited her in, made her believe no one else in the world mattered. She didn’t care if Peyton couldn’t ride the coin-operated horse at the grocery store, she wanted to see her again, bask in the heat of that radiant smile. “But maybe I’m ready for a little complexity in my life. The last woman I dated was Elsie Gifford, and she’s still trying to relive her first cotillion.”

  “Speaking of high society, are you still going to the mother daughter Junior League lunch this weekend?”

  “Damn. I’d almost managed to forget all about it.”

  “So I’ll see you there?”

  “I suppose I’ll have to show up. Mother is one of the committee chairs. Have I ever mentioned how much I’d love to spend a weekend in jeans instead of dressing up for some affair?”

  Courtney laughed. “Guess you should’ve been born into a different family.”

  Lily nearly dropped the phone. Courtney was joking, but like any reference to her status, the remark stung. She struggled to summon some levity, but Courtney beat her to the punch.

  “Oh, sugar, I’m sorry. I’m a thoughtless bitch. It’s Mondays. I hate them and they hate me. Plus, I think they put decaf instead of the hard stuff in my coffee at that dreadful new Starbucks down on Elm…”

  Lily let her drone on. She’d wear herself out and the entire topic would be forgotten. Besides, it wasn’t as if everyone didn’t know she wasn’t a true born Gantry. Family photos featuring her brown skin and dark hair alongside her mother’s and father’s fair complexions were an obvious clue. She was grateful to have been adopted rather than left to languish in the care of the Our Lady of Guadalupe children’s home. But the sense of feeling like she didn’t quite fit had a way of creeping in. Wealth and all its trappings had always felt suffocating to her. She wondered if her connection to a mother she’d never known, one who hadn’t had the resources to feed her new baby, let alone raise her in any way close to the lifestyle the Gantrys’ wealth allowed, spurred those feelings. Which brought her back to the topic of the luncheon.

  “Tell you what,” she interrupted Courtney who hadn’t quite wound down yet. “You pick me up on Saturday and I’ll forgive all. Mother will already be down at the Adolphus bossing the help around, and I don’t want to have to show up on my own and make inane conversation with a bunch of women I haven’t seen in years. Deal?”

  “Deal.” A beeping sounded on the line. “Darn, I have to take this call. I’ll call you later and we’ll discuss details.”

  Lily hung up, but not more than a minute later, the phone rang again and she picked it up without looking. “Just can’t wait until Saturday to see me can you?”

  “Actually, I’d love to see you before then, but I’ve got a busy week ahead.”

  The low and slightly rough tones of the unexpected voice startled her, but she had no doubt who spoke the words. She held the phone out from her ear and stared at it as if trying to divine the miracle that had conjured Peyton’s call. Placing the phone back against her ear, she wished for composure. “I suppose I should’ve answered with a simple hello.”

  “Hello to you too. This is Peyton Davis, by the way.”

  “I know. I hope you had a good rest of the weekend.”

  “I did, but I missed seeing you again at the ball.”

  “Alas, I was in high demand.”

  “I’m sure you were.”

  She was flirting wasn’t she? The words were flirting, but the tone was straightforward. Lily contemplated her next move, but before she could get the words out, Peyton said, “About Saturday, I was wondering if you would join me for a trail ride. Nothing fancy. Maybe a picnic lunch if that would interest you.”
r />   Visions of a red-and-white checkered blanket strewn across a well-worn trail and Peyton Davis in snug 501s and dusty boots robbed her breath. And almost stole her memory. Saturday. Junior League. Lunch. Her mother. No casual picnic on the ranch for her. She’d be sipping tea and eating five-star food while wearing the latest fashion from Neiman’s. Damn. “A trail ride and picnic interests me a great deal, but unfortunately, I already have plans for Saturday.”

  “Oh, I see. That must have been the call you were expecting.”

  Lily rushed to mend the misunderstanding. “Not exactly. I mean, not like that. I thought you were Courtney. We have a luncheon with our mothers on Saturday. I love my mother, but believe me I’d rather be in the saddle with you.”

  “Oh you would, would you?”

  Peyton laughed, and the sound was rich and full. Contagious. Lily found she was laughing too, and any embarrassment she might have felt about her faux pas quickly vanished in the wake of Peyton’s refreshing candor. “How about Sunday?”

  “Sunday works. Let’s start mid-morning. I’ll pack lunch. Should I pick you up?”

  “I’ll meet you at the ranch.” Lily didn’t spend a lot of thought on the subject. She only knew she was going to have to explain to her parents why she wasn’t joining them for church services and she didn’t want to have to explain a date with Peyton at the same time.

  She wrote down the directions and they agreed on a time.

  “I look forward to seeing you,” Peyton said.

  “It’ll be fun.”

  “I’ll do my best to show you a good time.”

  Lily hung up the phone already imagining the likelihood of that outcome.

  *

  Peyton looked out across the ridge and smiled, happy that Lily had seemed as glad to hear from her as she’d been to make the call. She reached over and stroked Ranger’s mane.

  “Guess we have a date this weekend, big boy.” She laughed when he tossed his head. “I know, not what I was expecting either, but this new adventure is full of surprises.” Ranger nickered and shook his head. Peyton laughed at their casual conversation and grasped the reins, ready to head back to the house. As she started to mount her ride, she spotted a large, dark green tractor-trailer truck in the distance. It didn’t look like any of the other vehicles she’d seen on the property. She looked closer and saw the faint outline of a logo in white, and she made a mental note to ask Zach about it. She’d ask Neil, but he’d likely bite her head off before she could get a word in. Before she had a foot in the stirrup, her cell phone rang again. Had Lily Gantry changed her mind already? She pulled the phone from her pocket and glanced at the screen—No Caller ID—but instinct told her who it was.