a well-dressed woman who’d introduced herself as the head housekeeper, he entered a large room containing a long mahogany table, with Senator Aston sitting at the head and Eleanor to his right. Fresh flowers adorned the elaborately set table.
The bright red splash of color that infused Eleanor’s cheeks and the quick way she averted her gaze told him she hadn’t been behind his summons.
Perhaps she didn’t even want him here.
Was that disappointment shooting through him?
No way. He hadn’t really thought Eleanor had sent for him. He hadn’t even expected her to be here as she’d told him the night before that she lived in an apartment of her own. Ty had known it was her father planning to whip out the shotgun and tell him to keep his good-ole-boy hands off his precious daughter.
No worries. He’d already decided to do that.
“Glad you could make it, Dr. Donaldson.” The senator stuck out his hand and Ty shook it firmly. “Have a seat. Next to Eleanor, of course.”
Senator Aston had a future in acting should he ever opt out of politics because no way was that welcoming tone real. Had he really just invited Ty to sit next to Eleanor?
Wondering what he’d gotten himself into, he sat.
“Can we get you some breakfast, son?”
Son? What the …?
“No, thank you, sir. I’ve already eaten.”
“Coffee, tea, juice?”
What was with the host with the most?
Eleanor was now shooting daggers at her father.
“No, thanks.” He searched her face, but she wouldn’t even look his way. When she finally stopped glaring at her father, she just stared at her breakfast, which it didn’t look like she’d much more than touched. So he met Senator Aston’s eyes and decided to cut to the chase. “You asked to see me?”
The man smiled and a shiver ran up Ty’s back.
“I wanted to meet the man who spent the night with my daughter.”
Ty didn’t wince or glance away from the man’s penetrating gaze. He wouldn’t show weakness around this man who was obviously used to everyone bowing to his command. “Eleanor is a grown woman and surely makes her own choices as to who she spends her time with.”
Which wasn’t what he should have said. He should have pointed out that they hadn’t spent the night together.
Only a very public evening. Something about the man got Ty’s hackles up.
“Until I saw this morning’s paper I hadn’t realized she was spending time with anyone,” the senator countered smoothly, taking a sip from his coffee cup. “She tells me you work together.”
Her shoulders having dropped at her father’s words, Eleanor’s face now glowed rosier than any bloom in the flower arrangement. Once again, Ty found himself feeling protective.
“Yes, she’s a brilliant pediatrician. One of the best Angel’s has.”
Senator Aston waved off Eleanor’s accomplishments and focused on the real reason he’d summoned Ty. “What are your intentions regarding my daughter?”
That’s more like what he’d come expecting to hear.
“Daddy! Please.” Eleanor scooted her plate back, stared at her father. “I told you that Ty and I are only work colleagues.”
Ouch. Why did Eleanor’s words sting?
“Ty?” Her father’s brow arched, then his dark gaze settled directly on Ty in question.
Here was his opportunity to set the record straight and get the hell out of Dodge.
“It’s too early to say what my intentions are regarding your daughter.” Which wasn’t what he’d meant to say, but those words had somehow come out anyway.
“What?” This had come from a very shocked, very red-faced Eleanor. “But you … you didn’t …” Her voice trailed off, not verbalizing that Ty hadn’t kissed her when they’d said goodbye.
Ty’s gaze remained locked with her father’s.
“I’m very protective of my daughters.”
Ty bit back a grin. “I imagine so.”
Eleanor’s father leaned back in his chair, eyeing Ty as if he were sizing up an opponent. He took a sip of his coffee and calmly announced, “I want you to accompany Eleanor to my fund-raiser ball next week.”
That surprised him, but Ty only shrugged. He wouldn’t be bullied by this man. “I’m busy.”
“Get unbusy,” the senator ordered, as if whatever Ty’s plans were they couldn’t possibly be more important than his.
“Eleanor may have other plans.”
“She doesn’t.” Had there been humor in the man’s tone? “This is important to my career and the perfect opportunity for me to get to know what type of man my daughter is spending her time with.”
Ty wasn’t sure how he felt about going to the fund-raiser. He liked Eleanor, but hadn’t he already decided that he needed to stay away from her? That she would expect more from him than he’d ever give? But there was something about the way her father was discussing her as if she weren’t in the room that got Ty’s hackles up, made him want to puff out his chest and stand in challenge.
What was it about the woman that gave him all these protective, testosterone-filled urges?
“I prefer to arrange my own dates.”
The senator sat his coffee cup down on the table and eyed Ty intently. “Fine. Arrange one. Now is as good a time as any. I’m sure Eleanor is available the night of my fund-raiser.”
“Daddy.” Eleanor’s voice sounded so humiliated Ty wanted to whisk her out of the room. Hell, he knew exactly how she felt. Hadn’t his own father loved to put him in his place every opportunity he got?
His father. His family. Which only served to remind him of his own family issues and the fact that his mother wasn’t letting up on him coming home to attend Swallow Creek’s annual rodeo, which his father was hosting. Just the thought of going home, seeing the shame in his father’s eyes as he expounded on what a disappointment Ty had turned out to be, turned his stomach. It would be the first time he’d be face-to-face with dear ole Dad since their big row about Ty moving to New York.
He’d be damned if he was going to face it solo when presented with such a golden opportunity.
“Fine,” he agreed to the senator’s suggestion, liking the idea that had struck him. “I’ll go to the fund-raiser.” Just as the pompous man started to smile, Ty added, “On one condition. I want Eleanor to go to Texas with me six weeks from now to attend a rodeo my family is hosting.”
With her by his side, his family would be on their best behavior, would be distracted by him bringing a woman with him, and maybe, just maybe, his father wouldn’t launch into how he’d screwed up his whole life and let the entire family down by following his own dreams rather than to follow in his father’s footsteps.
“Done.” Smiling again, the senator stuck his hand out for Ty to shake.
“What?” Eleanor’s chair flew back from the table, almost toppling she stood so quickly. “Th-this is crazy. You’re talking like I’m not even here.” She glanced back and forth between them. “You’re both crazy. I’m not going to Texas.”
Wondering what the hell he was doing, Ty shook Eleanor’s father’s hand before any of them could come to their senses.
CHAPTER FOUR
ELEANOR AUSCULTATED ROCHELLE’S tiny chest,