by Kim Cox

Miriam Alexander looked around the airplane. Why had she let Kaitlin talk her into this vacation? Just because she’d buried herself in her work since Dan died, it didn’t mean she needed a vacation. Five years wasn’t that long.

"For once, just enjoy yourself, Mom. The insurance company will be here when you return. Look at that ice and snow. Mexico is great this time of year."

So here she was, sitting in a window seat of a 747 taxiing down the runway at Kennedy airport. Miriam hated flying. She flew for the last time, eighteen years ago when she and Dan spent their honeymoon in the tropical paradise of Hawaii.

Dan hadn’t been the love of her life like that rambunctious cowboy, Rhett Yancey. Rhett had loved busting broncos and riding bulls more than he loved her. Miriam felt like she ranked tenth on a list of eight, behind his carousing, gambling, drinking, playing poker, shooting pool, guitar picking and other vices. When he got a hankering for chasing skirts, she was out the door.

When Miriam walked into the men’s only bar and found that bimbo sitting in Rhett’s lap, she’d slapped him, turned around and walked out. She smiled and giggled at the remembrance--the look on Rhett’s face was more precious than the 2-carat diamond he had given her. Never had she seen him so shocked. She flipped the pages of her magazine, clearing her mind of the past. Whatever had possessed her to think of him after twenty-two years?

The plane finally stopped at the Cancun airport. Landing was always the worse part of the flight for her, and her trembling legs barely held her as she pulled herself out of the seat.

Miriam walked down the flight of steps to the baggage claim area and waited in a long line with the other travel weary passengers, to see if customs would check her bags. Now it was her turn.

She walked up to the pole, holding what resembled a traffic signal but with only a red and a green light and pressed the button. Just her luck, the light turned red. The last two passengers, both getting a green light left without having someone pawing through their most personal possessions.

The customs officer turned her Salem cigarette pack around in his fingers as if it was something alien. "It’s just cigarettes," she tried to explain. The officers shook their heads. "I know, I’m trying to quit. I’m down to a pack a week, I swear."

They just kept shaking their heads, zipped her bag and waved her down the line. She took the hallway, leading to a large corridor of seats and counters. She looked around. Where was her escort? Miriam didn’t see anyone. Kaitlin had sworn a friend would meet her.

A gang of men with signs rushed her, each offering his services of a ride. "No, I’m meeting someone. Thank you anyway," she said, her voice quivered. Some of the men understood and backed away, but one little man evidently didn’t understand English. He grabbed her hand and began pulling her toward the exit. "No, I said." Her heels dug into the carpet, as she refused to go any farther.

The little man looked confused and asked in a thick Spanish accent, "Miriam?" When she didn’t answer, he questioned, "Miriam Alexander?"

"Yes, that’s me," she answered, her turn to be confused.

He pointed to a large white limo. "The senor sent me."

"Oh, I’m sorry." She smiled at the man as he opened the door for her.

"Enjoy Cancun, senora."

The driver appeared to be the only one occupying the car. She closed the door. He sped off, slinging gravel behind them.

The driver said nothing. Totally confused, she tapped on the window dividing the front and back compartments. The electric window opened. "Yes, senora?"

"Where is Mister . . .?" Darn, she’d forgotten to get a name. How stupid.

But the driver seemed to know who she meant. "The senor will meet you for dinner. Business appointments have delayed him, and he asked me to give you his regrets. Please, senora, make yourself at home."

For the first time, Miriam looked around the luxurious car. In the corner sat a small television and a laptop computer. She pulled a cabinet door open and found a bottle of champagne, chilling in an ice bucket. With her thumbs pressed against the cork, she popped it out and poured herself a glass.

The heat outside had been stifling. Thank goodness for the air conditioning and champagne. The bubbles tickled her nose as she lifted the glass to her lips.

Miriam rested her head back on the seat and closed her eyes. Exhausted, she drifted off. Rhett intruded into her dreams. But she didn’t see him and that woman this time, only the smiling, loving man she’d married. When she opened her eyes, the limo pulled into the entrance of a white stucco mansion.

The driver walked around the car and opened her door. "Welcome to Calico Ranch, senora."

Miriam was in awe, gazing at the beautiful palms and exotic flowers that encircled the three-story house. "Ranch? I thought you were taking me to a hotel."

"No senora, the senor said to bring you here. No friend of his daughter’s would stay at a hotel."

Friend of his daughter’s? Oh, he must mean my daughter and his daughter are friends. Why didn’t I question Kaitlin? After much discussion about whether she needed a vacation, she finally just told Kaitlin to go ahead and make the arrangements. Why’d I ever let her talk me into this?

The maid met Miriam at the door, her eyes glistening secrecy while she led her up the stairs to her room. "I am so happy, senora. You are finally here."

"Finally?" It only took six hours, nothing strange." The elderly maid covered her mouth with her hand, stifling a laugh and backed out.

Miriam lay across the bed, flipping through a magazine. She fell asleep. What seemed like only minutes later, a knock on the door awakened her. A familiar voice said, "Dinner in forty minutes." Who was that? She opened the door, seeing no one.

The toe of her shoe kicked something under a chair. Down on hands and knees, she fished a small box into her hand. Opening it, there was a ring--a small opal surrounded with diamonds. Carefully taking it from the box, she slid it on the ring finger of her right hand. It fit perfectly. But it wasn’t hers. Surely it was left at her door by mistake. Or was it? Were ther other guest? She’d seen no one else. Who would give her such an extravagant gift?

Grinding the sleep from her eyes, Miriam looked at the ring again, making sure it wasn’t a mirage. Then she saw the beautiful gold vase with two-dozen long stem red roses, sitting on her bureau. She plucked the card from the bouquet. It read, "Dearest Miriam, How long I’ve dreamed of seeing you again." There was no signature.

Had Kaitlin roped her into a blind date? Obviously it was someone she’d met before.

While she showered, she counted on one hand how many men she knew in New York, but couldn’t think of anyone romantically interested in her. Drying off, she combed her hair, thankful for the short cut, run-your-fingers-through-it-and-go-style. After applying a little makeup and dressing, she danced out the door with ten minutes to spare. She met the maid at the bottom of the stairs. "Hello," she said. "Can you direct me to the dining room?" The lady giggled. What was it with this woman? Did she giggle all the time?

"Yes, senora. Through that door, and around the corner. The senor is waiting."

"Thank you." So the mystery man was already there. Finally, she would know. Miriam’s belly flip-flopped in anticipation. Who would’ve guessed that after all these years, this could happen to her?

The huge dining room loomed in front of her. A chandelier hung from the ceiling, over a long table. In the dim light, she could barely make out a white-haired man, sitting at the other end. As she walked slowly toward him, she observed his silhouette.

A candle sat on the table in front of her place setting, only a foot from his. It was him! It couldn’t be. Dread washed over her. She hadn’t seen this man in twenty years. Stunned, she slid into her chair.

"Miriam, how have you been?"

"You! What are you doing here?"

"I live here. I see that my surprise worked."

"But . . . "

He placed a warm hand over hers. "Now, now. It’s okay."

"How can you say that?"

"Miriam, don’t you know? I never stopped loving you." He smiled that sexy smile, showing his perfect white teeth.

She pulled her hand out from under his, her heart beat rapidly. "You don’t love me now, Rhett. You never did."

"I do. I’ve kept tabs on you all these years, waiting for a chance." He scooted his chair closer to hers and took her hand again. "After you left, I searched for you all over Ladden County but you’d left without a trace. For over a year, I searched the entire state of Nevada. Your friends wouldn’t tell me anything. I gave up on them after a month."

"I don’t believe you. What about Lucy?" she asked sarcastically.

"There was never anything between me and Lucy. You jumped to conclusions."

"I don’t think so, mister. I saw her hands all over you. I didn’t see you trying to stop her."

"Miriam, I was drunk and moved a little too slow. You didn’t wait to see her land on the floor where I dumped her. Can’t you give me another chance?"

"No!" She snatched her hand from his and wrapped her arms around her waist.

"Don’t say that. Just give me a chance to prove to you I never stopped loving you."

"Rhett, look, I didn’t disappear. If you really wanted to find me, you could have. Besides, Lucy wasn’t the only reason I left. You were always gone, never there for me when I needed you."

He waited, not interrupting her.

"You loved the rodeo more than you ever did me. Your gambling friends and everything else in your life came first." Miriam loosened her arms, letting them drop into her lap, and turned the ring around on her finger.

"I’ve changed. I know I treated you badly, being the young, dumb cowboy that I was. That’s all I can say about that. As far as searching, I did for over two years. By the time I found you, you were getting married." He gazed into her eyes. Honesty swirled in their depths, but she wasn’t at all sure she could believe him?

"How about when you received the divorce papers, which were sent nine months before I married? They had New York stamped all over them."

"I was out on the circuit for six months. When I got back, I flew to New York, anticipating a happy reunion. That’s when I heard of your wedding plans. At the time, I felt you'd be better off without me. I also learned of Kaitlin. I even hated you for a while."

"If you knew about Kaitlin, why didn’t you ever try to see her?" Guilt gripped her heart. She’d always regretted not telling Rhett about his child.

"I drowned my sorrow in whiskey for two years. Then I smartened up. Those presents without a name were from me. I had thought about taking you to court. Then, I realized that my life was no good for a little girl." His voice deepened and grew sultry. "Then I kinda understood why you did it." He gulped a big swallow of wine.

"You knew more than I did then. I never knew why I did it, but felt I had to."

"You still loved me, but you loved our child more. You did it all for her, knowing that the life you’d chosen for her didn’t include me."

"All these years I’ve felt so guilty about it. When Kaitlin reached her teens, I told her about you. Nothing bad. For a few years we feuded about it. When she went off to college, she threatened to find you and get back at me." A lone tear slipped from the corner of her eye.

Rhett’s wiped it away with his finger. "She did find me."

"What?"

"When she was at NYU, she and a friend found me through some detective agency. Then she called me." He reached into her lap, taking her hand in his.

"She never told me."

"I asked her not to. I also explained what a no good bum I was back then and how I didn’t blame you for what you did."

"Did she understand? Oh my God, that must have been the night she called me crying, telling me how sorry she was for causing me so much grief. Thank you, Rhett. That was the happiest night of my life." Tears of joy flowed unheeded.

Rhett circled her chair, kneeled and wrapped his arms around her. "I really am sorry about Dan’s death. Kaitlin told me what a good husband and father he was."

A light glowed in her mind. "She set this up, didn’t she?"

"What?"

"You heard me. You and Kaitlin set this up. Didn’t you?"

"It was my idea but Kaitlin helped me. Miriam, the last five years have been good to me. I bought some little stock that skyrocketed. Finally I can give you the life you deserve. Please, I’m asking you to give me another chance."

"I don’t know. How do I know you’ve really changed? Rhett, I couldn’t stand the loneliness again. Just today you couldn’t meet me because of your business. Are you sure business hasn’t replaced the rodeo?

When he lifted his head, Miriam thought she saw tears glistening in his eyes. "You can be sure. When we’re married, I’ll put my vice-president in charge and only go into the office when it’s necessary."

"Married? Rhett, are you asking me to marry you?"

A smile tugged at his lips. "Not yet. I want you to see I’ve changed. I’ll never hurt you again, my love."

Supper was served. "You remembered all my favorites."

"How could I forget anything about you? You’re engraved into my mind."

They ate heartily and remained silent during the meal, only smiling and sneaking glances between bites. Miriam thought of Rhett’s proposal. Could she possibly say yes? This was all too sudden, surprisingly, happily sudden.

When they’d finished, Rhett took her hand in his again. "Well? Will you give me another chance?"

"As much as I would love to say yes, I can’t"

His lips sagged, and his head dropped. "I guess I understand, but I just thought you were enjoying yourself."

"You didn’t let me finish. I can’t say yes until I give it more thought."

Popping his head up, he said, "Whew. You gave me a scare there, woman."

"I didn’t mean to."

He rounded the table again, took her hands in his and helped her out of her chair. "Let’s retire to the living room, ma’am." He bowed from the waist.

A Fire I Can’t Put Out--her favorite George Strait song soared from the stereo speakers. At the end of the movie, Pure Country, she had cried for what she and Rhett had lost, and that same night, she’d dreamed of Rhett singing the song to her.

Now her dream had come true. While she danced slowly in Rhett’s arms, he sang the song, sending chills up her spine. A warmth radiated into the bottom of her belly. When the song ended, Rhett kissed her, pulling her close until her body melded with his.

Her head spun, lost under his spell. His passion had always been forceful. She began to panic; she couldn’t let this happen. Her brain told her to flee, but her body wanted to stay. Gasping for air, her pulse pounded wildly. She managed to pull away. "Please," she pleaded. "I have to go."

"Please . . ."

Miriam ran to her second-floor room without looking back. She splashed water on her face, reviving her from Rhett’s heated passion. Even after all these years, his affect on her was powerful, as strong as ever.

That’s when she heard it, wafting through her partially opened window. A violin played, and the voice of an angel sang, You’re Something Special To Me, another of her favorites. "It couldn’t be," she muttered in suprised wonder. Raising the window, Rhett stood outside, playing the instrument. Tears trickled from Miriam’s eyes as she listened.

He finished the song and yelled up to her, "Give me another chance?"

She wiped the last tear from her cheek. "Let me sleep on it."

Rhett blew her a kiss, saying, "Goodnight, my darling."

Miriam lay awake for hours, one minute determined to take a plane home as soon as she could and the next, contemplating staying with Rhett. What should she do? Finally, she fell asleep.

In the morning, Rhett knocked and then entered with a breakfast tray, a long-stemmed red rose garnishing it. Sitting on the edge of her bed, he waited patiently until she finished. Miriam purposely ate slowly, taking small bites and chewing each one ten times.

Rhett’s face reddened. His impatience becoming clear, she wiped her mouth with the cloth napkin and placed the tray on the bedside stand. A smile christened his lips. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"You know," he growled. Stop teasing."

"Rhett, I loved Dan very much."

His smiled turned into a frown. He stretched to his full height and started to leave.

She touched his hand to stop him. "But never as much as I loved you. I want to give you another chance." A slight smile creased the corners of her mouth.

"Yeehaw!" Rhett bellowed and jumped into the air, eliciting an answering smile from her lips. He hauled her off the bed, crushing her against his rock-hard chest. Suddenly carefree, her heart burst with joy. She flung her arms around his neck, lifting her lips for his kisses. Staring into cobalt-blue (or eyes as he lowered his lips to capture hers, she saw the radiance of her eyes shining into his. Without a doubt, she knew she'd never rank anything but number one in his life again.

THE END!!!

(c) by Kim Cox -- no portion may be copied or reproduced without permission of the owner.