Seduction, Westmoreland Style - Brenda Jackson [57]
Chapter 12
McKinnon picked up the phone the moment he walked out of the bedroom. He was on his way to town for a business meeting and Henrietta had left to do her weekly grocery shopping. “Hello?”
“Yes, this is Joanne Mills and I’m trying to reach Casey Westmoreland.”
McKinnon lifted a brow. He remembered Ms. Mills as the real estate agent who had shown Casey a couple of places in town. “Ms. Mills, this is McKinnon Quinn. Casey is out in the barn taking care of one of the horses. Is there something I can do for you?”
“Oh, hello Mr. Quinn. Yes, there’s something you can do. You can tell Ms. Westmoreland that after talking with her last week, something has come up on our listing that she might be interested in. The seller is willing to work out a good deal since he wants a quick sale.”
McKinnon leaned back against the table. Casey was considering moving off his ranch? Emotions clogged his throat, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.
“Mr. Quinn, are you still there?”
McKinnon forced himself to speak. “Yes, I’m still here and I’ll give her the message.”
“Thank you.”
McKinnon hung up the phone as a cold chill settled in his gut. He was being forced to admit something he thought could never happen to him again. He had fallen head over heels in love.
“Damn.”
He inhaled deeply knowing he had no right to even think about loving Casey. Yet he did. She was everything he could possibly want in a woman or a wife, but he couldn’t have her. So maybe it was for the best if she did decide to move on. Things had to eventually end between them anyway.
He quickly headed for the door, pausing briefly to snatch his hat off the rack. If Casey leaving was for the best, why was he feeling so damn bad about it?
Durango glanced across the table at McKinnon. The two of them had just ended their meeting with Mike Farmer, who had made them an offer they couldn’t refuse. Not only did Mike want to buy every foal Courtship produced, he also wanted Crown Royal’s stud rights at more than half-a-million a coupling. The man was convinced the stallion’s offspring would one day become a Triple Crown winner.
“What’s wrong with you, McKinnon? Farmer just made us wealthy men and you’re sitting there like you’ve lost your one and only puppy. Forget about that beer you’re drinking, man. We should be calling that waiter over to our table with a bottle of champagne to celebrate.”
McKinnon leaned back in his chair, remembering the phone call he’d taken right before leaving the ranch. “I don’t feel like celebrating, Rango.”
Durango sat up in his chair. A frown settled in. “Why not? Hey, what’s going on?”
McKinnon met Durango’s curious gaze. “That Realtor who’s helping Casey find a place in town called and left her a message that she might have found something. With Prince Charming almost trained, Casey really has no reason to stick around, which means she might move into town.”
Durango stared at him for a moment before asking brusquely, “And what do you plan to do about it? I won’t waste my time asking if you love her because your attitude today has given me my answer. Take my advice about something, McKinnon.”
“What?”
“Stop brooding and do what you’ve always done. Go after what you want.”
McKinnon clearly understood what Durango was saying and a hard line formed at his lips when he drew in a deep breath. “This is different. I can’t do that.”
“Yes, you can.”
McKinnon’s anger flared and he refused to give in to the surge of emotions that was sweeping through him. “Dammit, Rango, I can’t do it because I love her. I can’t deny her the one thing she might eventually want one day.”
“But you don’t know for sure that’s what you’ll be doing. Casey deserves to know the truth, McKinnon, so tell her.”
McKinnon sighed deeply, remembering the night he’d asked her if she wanted children and what her response had been. “Why bother? Things can’t be that way between us, Rango. I can’t let it. She deserves more,” he said grimly.
“Well, I think,” Durango said softly, “that you’ll be doing the both of you a disservice if it you