A Headstrong Woman(55)

“Jonathon, please don’t tell me how I should conduct my life; I’ve had enough of that today. Why is it everything always happens all at once with me?” Alexandria questioned as her shoulders slumped and her voice suddenly sounded tired.

Jonathon frowned and surveyed her closely. “What happened at the bank, Alexandria?”

“Mr. Moody all but proposed marriage.”

“What?” Jonathon’s head snapped around to stare at her with wide, unbelieving eyes.

“He did and when I told him that I had no intentions of remarrying, he argued with me telling me what benefits ‘a union like ours’ would bring. Then of course there was Lane…”

“Has Mr. Moody ever expressed interest in you before?”

“No.”

“Not that you aren’t a beautiful woman, Alexandria, but I believe his sudden interest in you may have less to do with being enamored with you and more to do with the ranch,” Jonathon informed her.

“That would be my first assumption.”

“Lane, now he’s smitten with you.”

“He’s the only one and for that I’m thankful.”

“Well there is Tristan,” Jonathon pointed out.

“He is not smitten with me, he just wants to possess me,” she shook her head.

Jonathon’s gaze again swung around to her in surprise, “You’re a very wise woman to recognize that, Alexandria.”

“Not really, I’m just not a kid with starry eyed day dreams of love anymore. I could choose to believe that he felt something he doesn’t but I’ve been hurt once and I don’t care to repeat…” Alexandria’s cheeks heated as she realized what she had been saying.

“Alexandria, don’t judge marriage by your experience with Elijah,” Jonathon said gently.

“What do you know about it, Jonathon?” she diverted her face so her tears wouldn’t show.

“Actually, Elijah talked to me about it quite a lot,” he answered honestly.

“He talked to you about us?” her horror stricken face now turned on him; tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Jonathon pulled the wagon to a stop in front of the house and Alexandria jumped up. Jonathon reached out to stop her before she could climb down unaided. She waited until he had come around for her. Rather than assisting her, he grabbed her by the waist, swung her to the ground and held her there.

“Are you mad at me?” he demanded.

Alexandria fixed her gaze on the buttons of his shirt.

“I’m mad, I just don’t know who I’m mad at,” she admitted.

Jonathon took her chin, and forced her to look up at him. “Are you mad at me?” he insisted.

Alexandria met his gaze and considered it before answering. “No.”

“Good,” Jonathon released her.

Alexandria, her packages forgotten, turned and quickly entered the house.

“Are you okay?” Anna asked as she took in Alexandria’s tear-streaked face.

“No…Mr. Moody proposed, or all but, Lane did propose, then those men at the corral and the poor horse they were abusing. Jonathon got mad at me for stepping in and then I find out Elijah apparently aired our marriage problems…I need a few minutes, if you’ll excuse me,” Alexandria hurried from the room when Jonathon entered.

Jonathon frowned after her. “If she says she’s not mad at me, why is she avoiding me?” Jonathon asked Anna.

Anna shrugged. “I couldn’t make any sense out of what she was saying. What happened in town?” Anna asked him.



Alexandria rushed into her room, shut the door behind her, and lay across her bed. She herself had confided in Jonathon, why did it bother her that Elijah had as well? After a moment’s consideration she knew the answer. Her pride was wounded. To have Elijah going around admitting to others that he hadn’t loved her smarted, made her feel even more naïve and stupid. How many people had he spoken with? Alexandria replayed her conversation with Jonathon in her mind. The memory of his hand on her chin and his intense gaze meeting hers sent a small shiver down her spine. She didn’t like that feeling, didn’t like it all, she wanted to run from it.

No longer wanting to be alone with her thoughts, Alexandria jumped up and dressed in her work clothes. She went to the barn to help Jonathon.

“Want some help?” she offered.

Jonathon looked up to find no trace of the vulnerable young woman he had escorted home from town. In her place was a cool confident ranch owner whose thoughts and feelings were carefully guarded.