allowed to make her own rules.”
“It isn’t just Renata. The doctor told me it was useless if she wouldn’t make an attempt to work with him. He suggested that I try a more direct approach.” He pointed to an old pecan tree and led Connor in that direction. “Hiring a horse trainer was his idea. Renata’s fears seem to involve all of Oaklawn, but particularly the barn, and to a lesser extent the house. Dr. Rubenstein encouraged me to get Renata to confront her fears.”
“You should have told me this,” Connor said. Anger nibbled at the roots of her hair. The prickly heat needled and moved on her scalp—always a bad sign for whoever she was dealing with. The bastard had deliberately tricked her into a situation that was no-win.
“You wouldn’t have come. It’s too far for such a gamble.”
“That’s an understatement. And it’s too bad that I’ve quit my job and spent most of your money. You’ll have to suffer the loss, at least until I can try to pay you back. I’m sorry, Mr. Sumner, but I quit.”
Clay leaned against the knotted bark of the tree. They were in the back corner of the orchard, far removed from any prying eyes. There was no anger in his blue eyes as he looked at her.
“You can’t quit.”
“Watch me.” Connor’s anger was growing with each second. “You tricked me and deceived me. You’re expecting me to do something that could be very dangerous for your little girl. I’m not trained to do this, and I’m not going to try. What if this little experiment you’ve concocted backfires? Your daughter might completely withdraw. Have you thought about that?”
“Connor, I didn’t tell you the complete truth. That’s true. But Renata needs you.”
“Bullshit, Clay Sumner. She needs a doctor.”
A twist of irony touched the corners of Clay’s mouth. “You’re wrong about that. She’s had the best doctors around. The best. Now it’s up to me to figure out a way to help my daughter. If I can’t break through the dark wall that she’s erected, I really may lose her forever.” His jaw clenched. “I won’t let that happen.”
“And you’re willing to risk everything. Your child. My career. Everything.”
Clay’s blue eyes calmed. The bitterness left his face, replaced by the hint of a real smile. “I checked you out very carefully. You’re the best. The very best there is. I’ve minimized the risk as much as possible. I like you, Connor Tremaine. You’ve got some backbone. To be honest, if I thought it would help Renata, I would take her to the ends of the earth. But it won’t help. She won’t let it. The horses might trigger a breakthrough. Or at least, that’s what Dr. Rubenstein thinks. If she shows any indication that she’s willing to talk with him, I’ll have her there in less than two hours. Day or night.”
“Election or not?” Connor put the hardest edge on her question. The suspicion that perhaps a child with mental problems might not play well in the Alabama political arena had crossed her mind.
“My career will never come before my child. Never.”
Connor shook her head. “I’m not the right person for this job. I’ll get your money back to you, but it’ll take me some time.”
“You’re forgetting the contract you signed.”
The deadly calm statement caught Connor like a punch in the midriff. She actually sucked air. “What? That contract isn’t worth two cents. You lied to me. You deceived me and misrepresented the entire situation. No court would honor such a farce.”
“I wouldn’t want to bet on that. You see, I wrote it myself. Did you read it carefully?” There was no satisfaction in his face, just a shading of regret. “I hate to do this, but I was afraid your initial reaction might be to jump and run. I know mine would be.” His smile was self-deprecating. “You’ve stepped into a mess, but I need you and I won’t let you get away if I can stop it.”
“You’d hold me to a contract knowing you lied?” Connor
“It isn’t just Renata. The doctor told me it was useless if she wouldn’t make an attempt to work with him. He suggested that I try a more direct approach.” He pointed to an old pecan tree and led Connor in that direction. “Hiring a horse trainer was his idea. Renata’s fears seem to involve all of Oaklawn, but particularly the barn, and to a lesser extent the house. Dr. Rubenstein encouraged me to get Renata to confront her fears.”
“You should have told me this,” Connor said. Anger nibbled at the roots of her hair. The prickly heat needled and moved on her scalp—always a bad sign for whoever she was dealing with. The bastard had deliberately tricked her into a situation that was no-win.
“You wouldn’t have come. It’s too far for such a gamble.”
“That’s an understatement. And it’s too bad that I’ve quit my job and spent most of your money. You’ll have to suffer the loss, at least until I can try to pay you back. I’m sorry, Mr. Sumner, but I quit.”
Clay leaned against the knotted bark of the tree. They were in the back corner of the orchard, far removed from any prying eyes. There was no anger in his blue eyes as he looked at her.
“You can’t quit.”
“Watch me.” Connor’s anger was growing with each second. “You tricked me and deceived me. You’re expecting me to do something that could be very dangerous for your little girl. I’m not trained to do this, and I’m not going to try. What if this little experiment you’ve concocted backfires? Your daughter might completely withdraw. Have you thought about that?”
“Connor, I didn’t tell you the complete truth. That’s true. But Renata needs you.”
“Bullshit, Clay Sumner. She needs a doctor.”
A twist of irony touched the corners of Clay’s mouth. “You’re wrong about that. She’s had the best doctors around. The best. Now it’s up to me to figure out a way to help my daughter. If I can’t break through the dark wall that she’s erected, I really may lose her forever.” His jaw clenched. “I won’t let that happen.”
“And you’re willing to risk everything. Your child. My career. Everything.”
Clay’s blue eyes calmed. The bitterness left his face, replaced by the hint of a real smile. “I checked you out very carefully. You’re the best. The very best there is. I’ve minimized the risk as much as possible. I like you, Connor Tremaine. You’ve got some backbone. To be honest, if I thought it would help Renata, I would take her to the ends of the earth. But it won’t help. She won’t let it. The horses might trigger a breakthrough. Or at least, that’s what Dr. Rubenstein thinks. If she shows any indication that she’s willing to talk with him, I’ll have her there in less than two hours. Day or night.”
“Election or not?” Connor put the hardest edge on her question. The suspicion that perhaps a child with mental problems might not play well in the Alabama political arena had crossed her mind.
“My career will never come before my child. Never.”
Connor shook her head. “I’m not the right person for this job. I’ll get your money back to you, but it’ll take me some time.”
“You’re forgetting the contract you signed.”
The deadly calm statement caught Connor like a punch in the midriff. She actually sucked air. “What? That contract isn’t worth two cents. You lied to me. You deceived me and misrepresented the entire situation. No court would honor such a farce.”
“I wouldn’t want to bet on that. You see, I wrote it myself. Did you read it carefully?” There was no satisfaction in his face, just a shading of regret. “I hate to do this, but I was afraid your initial reaction might be to jump and run. I know mine would be.” His smile was self-deprecating. “You’ve stepped into a mess, but I need you and I won’t let you get away if I can stop it.”
“You’d hold me to a contract knowing you lied?” Connor
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