Caught in the Crossfire Read online

  He ignored the mess and glared at her.

  "You know, Dad," she replied in a calm voice, "I could better understand your reaction if I were sixteen years old and had just announced that I was running off with the elephant trainer in a circus, but the fact is that I'm twenty-five years old. Most people my age have been working for years."

  "You're not most people, Lindsey. You are my daughter and there is absolutely no reason for you to take a job, especially as a lowly assistant to another lowly assistant. It's demeaning, is what it is."

  In a patient voice, she said, "I would willingly pay them for the opportunity to work at the museum, Dad. I'll be learning from experts and will get the best training possible in my field."

  "Your field," he said with a sneer. "Dabbling in art history certainly doesn't count as a professional field!"

  "Further," she continued, without losing eye contact, "if and when I marry, I will be the one to decide who will be the groom—not you, not your friends with eligible sons, not the winning ticket holder of some bizarre society raffle."

  He stood and glared at her. "You are being insubordinate and I will not tolerate it. Do you understand me?"

  She stood, as well, unobtrusively leaning against the table to steady her shaking knees.

  "Did you hear what you just said? You've just proved my point. Only a subordinate can be insubordinate and I am not one of your underlings."

  "You owe me respect, young lady, and I'm not seeing any respect in your attitude this morning."

  "Of course I respect you. I always have. The problem has been that this is the first time I haven't backed down when you've decided my next course of action."

  "Damn it, child! I didn't put you in all those fancy boarding and finishing schools for you to defy me now! What happened to the sweet, biddable young woman I love?"

  Lindsey sighed. "She grew up, Dad." She'd turned away and started toward her room when he said, "Your mother would be horrified that you'd want to live alone in New York City, absolutely horrified."

  She'd been waiting for that one, one of many guilt trips he used on her to get her to do what he wanted.

  Lindsey turned in the doorway and faced him. "You know, Dad, I've heard variations on that remark most of my life and it's been used to death. I have no idea what my mother would have wanted for me at this stage in my life. But neither do you.

  "Mother has been gone for seventeen years and I'm no longer that eight-year-old child you were left to rear. The world has changed considerably during those years. And so have I. I love you, never forget that, but I'm an adult now. I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself without your help. Regardless of what you say, I am moving to New York in January."

  His face flushed an unhealthy red as he said, "This discussion in not over, whether you walk out of this room or not."

  At least he'd put her on notice that their home would be a battleground for the rest of the year.

  It was true she didn't have to work. She'd received the trust account from her mother's estate last spring, much to her father's irritation, which made moot his threat of cutting off her funds when she didn't do as he wanted.

  There was nothing more he could threaten her with and her newfound sense of freedom was an overwhelming relief.

  He could throw all kinds of fits from now on and she wouldn't change her plans. So, okay, maybe she'd come tonight to help ease the tension between them. Attending the party of a family whose financial support had helped to put her father into the U.S. Senate was easy enough for her to do, even when she didn't know anyone there.

  Children darted in and out of the crowd and she noted that most of the older men were congregated near the barbecue pit, laughing and talking, while the older women visited among themselves.

  The women her age all had dates.

  She felt a little out of place, being there with her father. Lindsey knew how to mingle with statesmen and royalty with aplomb, but she'd never learned to mingle with Texas cowboys and ranchers, and their wives and girlfriends.

  The Crenshaw home surprised her. Built on the lines of the haciendas constructed in the previous century, the adobe walls and red-tiled roof looked like something out of a movie. The large patio was surrounded by native shrubbery and the wide lawn appeared to be the perfect place to have a party.

  Everyone in Texas had heard of the Crenshaw family, whose holdings in the Hill Country were probably the size of Rhode Island. Or larger. Her father told her that the land had been in the Crenshaw family for several generations.

  Lindsey's thoughts were interrupted when her dad spoke. "There's some people here I need to speak to," he said, smiling at her as though they hadn't been arguing off and on all day. "You'd be bored tagging along with me. Why don't you join that group of ladies over there and get to know some of these people."

  He didn't wait for her response. She watched him make his way through the crowd, smiling, shaking hands, being slapped on the back. He was in his element while she was definitely the outsider. She glanced at the ladies to whom he'd referred. The youngest one appeared to be in her mid-fifties.

  "Good evening, ma'am," a deep voice drawled from somewhere nearby. "I don't believe we've met."

  Lindsey turned to see who had spoken to her. Oh, my. Here was a man who radiated self-confidence…and for good reason. Tall, blond, broad-shouldered and lean-hipped, the man personified all the mystique and wonder of Texas, with a flashing smile in a bronze-colored face and eyes so blue she could swim in them.

  He probably knew his impact on women, but the knowledge in no way detracted from his charm.

  Her heart picked up its rhythm and she smiled, more at her reaction than at the man. There was something about a good-looking man in tight jeans that attracted her more than all the men in suits and ties she'd been around most of her life.

  He held out his hand and she placed hers in his much larger one.

  "I'm Jared Crenshaw," he said, placing his other hand over hers in a proprietary way. "And you must be—" He paused, his smile broadening into a grin.

  Hmm. Jared Crenshaw could definitely be a hazard to her peace of mind.

  "Lindsey Russell," she said, matching his grin. So he was a Crenshaw, was he? No wonder he appeared self-confident. Not only did he have money and prestige behind him, his blond good looks would have been enough to attract any woman he wanted.

  "I'm pleased to meet you, Mr. Crenshaw. You're the first member of your family I've met."

  He stared deeply into her eyes. "Mr. Crenshaw happens to be my dad. Please call me Jared."

  She gently tugged her hand from his clasp. "I don't know you well enough to be quite so familiar."

  He grinned wickedly at her and she knew his thoughts as though he'd spoken them aloud. Lindsey blushed, hoping he hadn't noticed. She'd never before been so aware of a man.

  What a darling. Jared hadn't seen a grown woman blush before.

  He liked the look of her—her expressive eyes surrounded by thick lashes, her slow smile, as though she hadn't had much to smile about lately, her trim body and the fact that her head barely reached his shoulders.

  Jared didn't usually go for the type. As a rule, he preferred tall, buxom blondes who were eager to spend time with him with absolutely no strings attached. The fact was, Jared enjoyed women…women of all kinds. He just wasn't interested in marrying one of them anytime soon.

  The senator's daughter was different from the others he knew and he sort of liked the difference. Her beauty was more subtle, maybe, but every bit as impressive.

  "Then we need to do something to make you feel more familiar with me," he said, and was rewarded by another blush. He offered his hand to her, palm up, and said, "Let me introduce you around."

  He waited to see what she would do. He was teasing her, hoping to break down some of that reserve that seemed to surround her, and he wondered if she would get it.

  He could see the debate running through her mind—uncertain how to handle him but not want
ing to appear rude.

  Her upbringing won out and she placed her hand in his. He almost hugged her. What a darling.

  "Probably half the people here are kinfolk of mine." Jared winked. "Of course, none of them are as good-looking." She looked at him in astonishment and he burst out laughing. "I'm teasing, honestly. Guess you'll have to get used to my sense of humor." If he had anything to do with it, she'd have plenty of chances to be around him. He didn't care if she was a senator's daughter, he just wanted to spend some time with her.

  Lindsey didn't know how to take Jared's remarks. He could have been teasing, or he could be insufferably smug.

  The jury was still out on that one.

  "Hope you haven't eaten lately," he said, as they walked across the lawn toward the crowd. "Dad makes the best barbecue you've ever tasted."

  Lindsey didn't particularly like barbecue, but she saw no reason to mention it. "I'm not very hungry," she said, trying to walk a thin line between being polite and being honest, "but of course I'll try some."

  He kept staring at her, his gaze wandering across her face, and she wondered if there was a smudge on her nose or something. "Is something wrong?" she finally asked.

  He grinned. "No, ma'am, there's not a thing wrong with you. In fact, you are one fine-looking lady. You know, I'm surprised I've never seen you before," he continued. "Doesn't your dad own a ranch the other side of New Eden?"

  "Yes, but I've spent very little time there. I went to school back East and most of my friends live there."

  "It's our loss, I guess." His eyes danced and she knew he was teasing her again.

  "What do you mean?"

  "All the guys who live around here. Just remember, though. I saw you first!"

  She stopped in her tracks. "That sounds like you intend to brand me with your initials or something."

  He burst into laughter. "Wouldn't have thought of that, but it sounds like a fine idea to me."

  She gave him a withering look—which, she noted, didn't faze him—and said, "In your dreams, cowboy."

  He was still laughing when they arrived at a long table weighed down by enough food to feed an army—a very large army, at that. There was a short line of people helping themselves to various items, such as beans and potato salad, coleslaw and all kinds of desserts. At the end of the table a couple of men placed barbecue on the guests' plates.

  Although she took small portions of each item, by the time Lindsey received a large slice of beef and several pork ribs, her plate was piled high with food. She would never be able to eat even half of it.

  Jared was right behind her and his plate was equally laden. He nodded to one of the tables. "That's my folks over there. C'mon. We can sit at their table and I'll introduce them to you."

  What an impression she was going to make. Her plate looked as though she was starving. Lindsey couldn't remember a time when she'd been so uncomfortable. All the rules of etiquette that had been drilled into her didn't seem to cover this situation.

  Once they were seated, Jared said, "Mom, Dad, I want you to meet Lindsey Russell, the senator's daughter." He smiled at Lindsey. "Joe and Gail Crenshaw."

  "How do you do?" she said with a nod and a smile.

  "This woman has been seriously deprived," Jared said seriously. "She hasn't seen much of Texas and she's never been to one of our barbecues. I'm going to do my best to make up for that."

  Lindsey looked at him in astonishment.

  "Don't pay any attention to him," Gail Crenshaw said. "He'd rather tease than eat." She paused and looked at him attack his plate. "Well, maybe it's more of a tie, actually. I'm so pleased to meet you, Lindsey. Your mother and I were classmates and friends. I know she'd be delighted to see how well you turned out."

  Lindsey placed her fork on her plate. "You knew her?" she asked wonderingly.

  "Yes, our fathers were good friends and she and I spent a lot of our growing-up years together, then she went to a private high school back East and we got out of touch for a while. After she married and moved back here with your father, we got together once in a while for a visit."

  "I don't remember any of that."

  "Probably not. Your roots grow deep here in the Hill Country, you know."

  "I'd like to talk to you sometime about her. There's so much I want to know about her but it makes my dad depressed whenever I bring her up in conversation, so I stopped asking about her."

  "I'd like that, Lindsey. Call whenever your schedule's free and we'll get together."

  "Speaking of calling," Jared said, "could I have your phone number? Only the senator's Texas office is listed in the phone book. Guess he doesn't want to be bothered at home."

  She looked at him, sitting there beside her. "My phone number?"

  "Don't act so surprised," he said. "If I'm going to teach you about all things Texan, I'm going to have to spend some time with you, right? I know it will be a hardship on me, having to see you so much, but hey, I'm man enough to handle it."

  When both of his parents erupted into laughter, Lindsey realized that once again he'd been teasing her. He was so different from the young men she'd known, and she had trouble knowing how to deal with him.

  "Well," she finally said, "I suppose I can give you my phone number, all in the interest of Texas patriotism, of course."

  Joe looked at Jared and said, "I think she's already got your number, son. She can obviously handle anything you dish out."

  By the time she'd finished her meal, Lindsey had grown comfortable with the three Crenshaws. She was amused at how his parents sided with her when Jared attempted to give her a hard time. She couldn't remember when she'd laughed so much. They were friendly and down-to-earth. Plus, Jared's mom had known her mom, which automatically made Lindsey feel closer to the older woman.

  Jared leaned toward her, close enough for her to smell his aftershave lotion, and asked, "Care to dance?"

  Lindsey looked over her shoulder at the dancers crowding the patio.

  "I don't think so, but thank you. I don't know any of those dances."

  "Then this is as good a time as any to begin your education regarding the culture of Texas." He held out his hand with a slight bow. "May I have the honor of this dance, Your Highness?"

  "What did you call me?"

  He grinned. "Your well-bred manners remind me of royalty."

  "I'm stuffy?"

  Gail and Joe laughed.

  "Nope. You are regal. I like that in a woman."

  She took his hand. "How can a woman possibly turn down such a flattering request," she replied, mimicking the reserved, haughty speaking style of the headmistress at her academy. She turned to Joe and Gail, "I've enjoyed visiting with you. I'll give you a call soon so we can talk," she added to Gail.

  Lindsey caught on quickly to the two-step, the cotton-eyed joe and the moves in line dancing. She couldn't remember when she'd had so much fun. Many of her inhibitions slipped away during the rest of the evening, as she danced with first one and then another male despite Jared's mocking growl.

  He was funny. His "just a country boy" demeanor couldn't hide his intelligence and his enthusiasm for his chosen profession, which impressed her. He probably didn't need to work for the rest of his life and yet he'd found a field he enjoyed.

  Just as she had. How could she not admire his ambition?

  She caught a glimpse of her father from time to time, obviously delighted to see her dancing and having fun. She felt mellower about his bullheadedness. He loved her. She knew that without a doubt. Sooner or later he would accept her decision to live her own life. She would learn to be more patient with him. After all, she was the only family he had. He probably needed her more than she needed him at this stage in their lives.

  Eventually, the hour grew late and the number of dancers on the floor dwindled. The band played ballads and Jared held her close, both arms around her waist. Lindsey wasn't used to being held quite so closely, but when she glanced around at the other dancers, she saw that the men held the
ir partners as Jared was holding her and the women danced with their arms around the men's neck.

  Because Jared was so much taller than her, Lindsey's hands rested on his chest.

  "I'm really glad you came to our party," Jared said. "I wish I'd met you years ago. Of course you'd have been much too young to date me back then."

  She leaned back a little. "How old do you think I am?"

  He stared intently at her and said, "Twenty-one. Maybe."

  "Twenty-five."

  "No kidding. Well, I've still got six years on you. If you'd gone to school here, you would have been in the sixth grade when I graduated from high school. So maybe this is the perfect time for us to meet."

  She could practically feel his shirt buttons pressing against her. During one of their turns, his leg somehow moved between hers. The gentle friction not only aroused her but him, as well, his jeans unable to camouflage his reaction to her.

  So why wasn't she pushing herself away from him? She'd never allowed anyone to hold her in such a way. For the very first time in her life, Lindsey was discovering a sensuous side to her nature, one she'd had no idea existed.

  Jared Crenshaw was teaching her much more than he suspected, and she felt vulnerable. She'd always considered herself to be a rational and logical person. Now the feelings he stirred in her confused her. Not that she thought he had any long-term plans where she was concerned. A couple of the men who'd danced with her had quickly informed her that Jared Crenshaw definitely played the field.

  Actually, she found their comments reassuring. The last thing she needed was to begin a serious relationship with someone in Texas when she planned to move to New York. She certainly might consider seeing him while she was in Texas, knowing that he wasn't looking for a committed relationship.

  Let's face it—she enjoyed his company, and he appeared to enjoy hers. They were adults. Why shouldn't they spend some time together?

  The song stopped and the band took a break.

  "You've been awfully quiet, you know," Jared said as he stepped away from her. "Bored, already?"

  She smiled and shook her head. "On the contrary, Mr. Crenshaw," she said mockingly, "I can't remember when I've had quite so much fun."