Books

Excerpt: The Rancher's Surprise Marriage

Maggie McShane blamed her life-long weakness for cowboys on John Wayne movie marathons, a New Year’s Day family tradition.  Those happy childhood memories pierced Maggie as she saw a cowboy mosey onto her Arizona movie set.  He rivaled the Duke in looks, from his thick brown hair and blue eyes to his looming height.  She felt caught in his crosshairs, the way his gaze zeroed in on her, and it was everything she could do to turn away from him, and pay attention to the director her next take outside a rustic old barn on a working cattle ranch.

“Take your mark, please, Maggie,” the director said.

“Quiet on the set!”

The take was a different angle of an earlier shot, a sweeping arc that would end on a close-up of her face.  Her expression was supposed to convey determination but also a little insecurity. 

“Cut!  Let’s do it again.  A little more grit this time, Maggie.”

“Right.”  Maggie wondered who the cowboy was.  Why was he on the set?  Who gave him—

“Cut!  Where’s your head, Maggie?” the director, Mac Iverson, asked.

Startled, she met his gaze, seeing more than curiosity there.  Maggie was always prepared, always on cue.  Darn cowboy.  “Sorry, Mac.”

“All right.  Once more.  Action!”

The cowboy stuck his hat back on his head, covering that beautiful hair that curled down his neck a little. . . .

“Cut!”  Mac came up to her.  “Do you need a break or water or something?”

“It’s the heat,” she said, lying, embarrassed at not being her usual professional self.  “This time.  I promise.”

After two more takes, Mac said, “Good job, thanks.”  Noise and activity picked up again.  They were winding down for the day.  Only two shots left, neither requiring her presence.

Leesa Post, Maggie’s long-time personal assistant, approached, her ever-present notebook in hand.  “Looks like we’re getting out of here early tonight, Mags.  What do you want to do about dinner?”

“Room service, but first a long, hot shower.  I’ve got dust in every pore.”

“Arizona in September.  Pretty dry stuff.”

“I’m learning that.”  Maggie lowered her voice.  “Who’s the cowboy talking to Mac?”

“I dunno.  Want me to find out?”

Did she?  He’d already brought back too many memories—and distracted her in other ways, too.  Not a good thing.  And yet, she wanted to know.  “If you can, discreetly.”

Leesa cocked her head and grinned.  “You’re an engaged woman.”

Maggie rubbed her left ring finger, but the diamond-and-platinum engagement band Scott Gibson had given her three weeks ago was in her bodyguard’s pocket for safekeeping.  “I’m not looking for a date, Leesa.  I’m just curious.  Mac doesn’t allow many strangers onto his set.”

“Probably a money guy.  I’ll be right back.”

Leesa was the queen of efficiency.  She’d been an extra on a TV sitcom Maggie had starred in as a child.  They’d become fast friends at the age of six, twenty-five years ago.  When Maggie had needed a full-time assistant, Leesa jumped on the bandwagon, deciding she hated being on that side of the camera, and wanted a shot at helping take care of Maggie’s skyrocketing career.

“His name is Tony Young.  He owns this ranch,” Leesa announced quietly when she returned, holding up her tablet as if taking notes from Maggie.

“Is he as tall as he seems?”

“Ninety-five percent of the world’s adult population can see the top of my head.  Everyone is tall to me.”

“Yeah, I’ve been meaning to tell you it’s time to get your roots done.”

“Ha, ha.  Mac says you can go.  Seven a.m. call tomorrow.  I’ve got your pages.  Dino’s getting the car.”

 Maggie would have to walk past Tony Young, ranch owner, the Duke personified, to get to her trailer to change into street clothes.  Manners dictated that she stop and introduce herself, but there was something about him, even from this distance, that made her hesitate.  Definitely the John Wayne connection, she decided, therefore the emotional link to her parents and their time spent watching old Westerns.  Even though they had died a long time ago, the loss was still raw sometimes.  It was the reason she’d waited so long to do a Western.  She’d thought she was finally ready for it.  Maybe she was wrong.

“Hey, Maggie,” one of the cameraman said, coming up to her.  “A few of us are headed to the Red Rock Saloon, outside of Sedona.  We checked it out a couple of nights ago.  Wanna come?”

“Thanks, Pete, but I’m wiped out.  Another time, though, okay?”

“You got it.”

She started to head to her trailer, then turned around.  “Is it a real cowboy bar?”

“It’s nothin’ fancy, that’s for sure.  Got pool tables, though.”  He grinned, knowing how much she loved to play the game.

“Then you’d better save some of your hard-earned cash for when I do come.”  She waved and walked away, noting that the cowboy had left during the exchange.  So.  The decision was taken out of her hands.  He was gone.  She hadn’t even heard his voice to know if he sounded like John Wayne, too. 

Silly thought. . . .

In the car a half hour later, Leesa said to Maggie, “You want a laugh?”

“Always.”

Leesa placed a copy of Meteor in Maggie’s lap.  The gossip weekly’s cover photo had Maggie resting her hand on her abdomen and a wistful  expression on her face.  “’Twins on board?  The real reason for Maggie and Scott’s quick wedding.’”

Knowing Leesa expected her to smile, Maggie did, but something twisted inside her, too.  Twins.  She should be so lucky.  She craved a family.  After being orphaned at ten, she’d been raised by her maternal grandparents, the paternal set having died before she was born.  Now her beloved Gram and Gramp who’d raised her were gone, too.  She knew she shouldn’t complain—after all, a lot of people loved her—but she wanted someone who was . . . hers.  Scott would be that, then before too long, children, she hoped.  Family.  Stability.  She would prove it could be done successfully in Hollywood.

“So, seven weeks now constitutes a quick wedding?” Maggie asked, handing the magazine back to Leesa. 

“For you.  In the public’s minds, anyway.  Your fans would’ve expected a long engagement from you, and a ceremony to rival royalty.”

“Which is pretty much what’s happening, isn’t it?  I’ve been promised it’ll be the wedding of the year.”  Even though she would’ve preferred a small ceremony with her closest friends, she’d agreed to a big, elegant, star-studded event as a favor to an old friend, Jenny Warren.  Regret had dogged Maggie ever since she’d said yes.  She should’ve trusted her instincts and done the intimate, surprise wedding.  Now it was too late.  She couldn’t let down Jenny and her family.  They were counting on the publicity.

Even more important, Scott had admitted to wanting the big splashy affair, too.  And Maggie wanted to make him happy.

Maggie’s car pulled into the Desert Canyon Resort and Spa parking lot a while later.  She followed her bodyguard/driver, Dino, as they climbed one flight to the upper level.  He’d been with her as long as Leesa.  Sometimes Maggie had to keep a team of bodyguards with her, but the production company had private security on set, and she was keeping a low profile in Sedona, not in need of an entourage, hotel security doing extra duty there, too.

“You’ve been quiet, even for you,” Maggie said to Dino as she toyed with her engagement ring.  He’d handed it to her as she’d climbed into the car.

“Yep,” Dino said, hands clasped, legs spread and planted, staring straight ahead after he unlocked the room door and stepped aside.

A few seconds passed.  “You, too, actually,” she said to Leesa.  “For you.”

Leesa grinned.  “Yep.”

Maggie pointed a finger at her.  “You’ve got a secret.  You’re both in on it.”

Dino and Leesa exchanged looks then said, “Yep,” just as Maggie opened the door directly into the living room of the elegant suite.  A tall, blond man rose from the sofa.  Blond?  She almost didn’t recognize Scott, her fiancé of three weeks.  His hair had been dark brown two weeks ago.  On the other hand, she’d been blond instead of her current auburn.  Such was the nature of film roles.

Funny, but her heart didn’t skip a beat at seeing him, but she put that thought from her mind, telling herself she was very glad he’d come, and wondering why she was trying to convince herself this should be so.

“We’ll leave you two lovebirds alone,” Leesa said.  “Let me know if you need anything.  Have fun.”  She winked at Maggie, then she and Dino headed to their adjoining private suites.

“Well.”  Maggie hurried toward Scott, smiling.  “No warning?  No fanfare?  Just you?”  When he didn’t answer, she wondered if she’d said something wrong, and she tried to laugh it off.

“This is a wonderful surprise, Scott, although I think it means our publicists are falling down on the job.  Usually events like these are orchestrated for maximum press.  Which reminds me, did you see the latest issue of  Meteor?  Apparently I’m pregnant with twins, which is why we’re getting married so quickly.”  She laughed again, then put her arms around him.  When he didn’t hug her in return, she leaned back, realizing that not only had he not smiled at her yet, he hadn’t even spoken a word.  “What’s going on?  Why aren’t you on location?”

“It’s a quick trip, just for tonight.  Maggie. . . .“

She didn’t like how he said her name.  She let her arms fall to her sides.  “Should I be sitting down?” she asked