tracked in could be easily removed.
Luke moved behind his desk, sat down and handed a postcard size form to Susan. She was still sitting in a chair across from his desk.
"This is a signature card from the bank," he explained. "I talked to Bob Anderson today and told him we were getting married. He can be trusted to keep quiet about it, but he needs your signature for your bank account."
Susan studied the form. She'd closed her account as well as Shane's. "What account?"
"I'm opening a new checking account for you, and he needs your signature so you can access the ranch's operating account. Rosa, Juan, and I all have access to the business one. For your personal account, you'll have checking, ATM, and Visa access once it's all processed."
She couldn't help but stare at him in amazement. "I don't want access to your money," she argued.
Luke's mouth stretched into a tight line. "As of Friday, it'll be our money, remember? You'll need an allowance, and I'll be transferring a large sum of money into your personal account to pay Shane's bills."
Susan responded through tight lips. "I know those debts need to be paid," she said, yet pride kept her from graciously accepting the offer. “But it doesn’t have to be done all at once, and I intend to work off some of the debt myself. I don't need an allowance or access to the ranch account. I'm not bringing a penny into the marriage."
He frowned. "Your dowry is Hanchart land."
It had never really belonged to her in the first place. "But I can't legally turn that over to you."
"I'm not asking you to," he replied in a clipped tone. "I'll fight you to the death if you ever try to walk away and take any of it with you. But once we're married, you become part owner of everything."
She took his words in the manner he intended them; as a threat. He wasn't demanding a prenuptial agreement on paper, but he was demanding it just the same.
"I don't have any aspirations to make off with what has belonged to your family for generations."
"Good, because I have no intention of giving up even a fraction of it."
They stared at each other for a long time, both tense with frustration. Shane was, and probably always would be, at the root of their problems, yet they had to find a way to deal with the mess he'd created.
"You're also bringing the promise of future generations of Hancharts to this marriage," he reminded. "That's important."
He left little doubt that the land was his primary concern, and any future they built was secondary. The idea sent a little shiver of dread down her spine.
"And what if I can't follow through on the promise?" she wanted to know. "If we find out I'm not any good at procreating, will I just get tossed out on my ear?"
She could tell by the tightening of his jaw he wasn't pleased by the question or her refusal to cooperate.
"We're talking about a real marriage, remember? That point seems to be getting by you," was his grating comeback, "If one of us isn't capable of reproducing, then we consider the options. Just like any other couple would do."
Susan sighed heavily and ran her fingers through her hair. It was hanging straight and loose around her shoulders today, so she had to keep shoving it back to keep it off her face. "I'm sorry, Luke. I want a real marriage, too. I'm just having a hard time adjusting to all the details."
His tone was hard when he answered. "It’s not the first time for you. You should be more familiar with the routine than I am," he reminded, expression hard.
She couldn't refute the truth of them. She wished she could explain how different this was and how much more important it was to her. She wondered if he'd ever get over his resentment of her first marriage.
"I never handled any of our finances when Shane and I were married," was her weak reply.
Shane had wanted her totally dependent on him. He'd provided a cash allowance for groceries and had taken care of everything else when it suited him. The only spending
Luke moved behind his desk, sat down and handed a postcard size form to Susan. She was still sitting in a chair across from his desk.
"This is a signature card from the bank," he explained. "I talked to Bob Anderson today and told him we were getting married. He can be trusted to keep quiet about it, but he needs your signature for your bank account."
Susan studied the form. She'd closed her account as well as Shane's. "What account?"
"I'm opening a new checking account for you, and he needs your signature so you can access the ranch's operating account. Rosa, Juan, and I all have access to the business one. For your personal account, you'll have checking, ATM, and Visa access once it's all processed."
She couldn't help but stare at him in amazement. "I don't want access to your money," she argued.
Luke's mouth stretched into a tight line. "As of Friday, it'll be our money, remember? You'll need an allowance, and I'll be transferring a large sum of money into your personal account to pay Shane's bills."
Susan responded through tight lips. "I know those debts need to be paid," she said, yet pride kept her from graciously accepting the offer. “But it doesn’t have to be done all at once, and I intend to work off some of the debt myself. I don't need an allowance or access to the ranch account. I'm not bringing a penny into the marriage."
He frowned. "Your dowry is Hanchart land."
It had never really belonged to her in the first place. "But I can't legally turn that over to you."
"I'm not asking you to," he replied in a clipped tone. "I'll fight you to the death if you ever try to walk away and take any of it with you. But once we're married, you become part owner of everything."
She took his words in the manner he intended them; as a threat. He wasn't demanding a prenuptial agreement on paper, but he was demanding it just the same.
"I don't have any aspirations to make off with what has belonged to your family for generations."
"Good, because I have no intention of giving up even a fraction of it."
They stared at each other for a long time, both tense with frustration. Shane was, and probably always would be, at the root of their problems, yet they had to find a way to deal with the mess he'd created.
"You're also bringing the promise of future generations of Hancharts to this marriage," he reminded. "That's important."
He left little doubt that the land was his primary concern, and any future they built was secondary. The idea sent a little shiver of dread down her spine.
"And what if I can't follow through on the promise?" she wanted to know. "If we find out I'm not any good at procreating, will I just get tossed out on my ear?"
She could tell by the tightening of his jaw he wasn't pleased by the question or her refusal to cooperate.
"We're talking about a real marriage, remember? That point seems to be getting by you," was his grating comeback, "If one of us isn't capable of reproducing, then we consider the options. Just like any other couple would do."
Susan sighed heavily and ran her fingers through her hair. It was hanging straight and loose around her shoulders today, so she had to keep shoving it back to keep it off her face. "I'm sorry, Luke. I want a real marriage, too. I'm just having a hard time adjusting to all the details."
His tone was hard when he answered. "It’s not the first time for you. You should be more familiar with the routine than I am," he reminded, expression hard.
She couldn't refute the truth of them. She wished she could explain how different this was and how much more important it was to her. She wondered if he'd ever get over his resentment of her first marriage.
"I never handled any of our finances when Shane and I were married," was her weak reply.
Shane had wanted her totally dependent on him. He'd provided a cash allowance for groceries and had taken care of everything else when it suited him. The only spending
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