Read Online Rodeo (BBW Cowboy Romance) (BBW Western Romance) by Cristina Grenier - Free Book Online
Authors: Cristina Grenier
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could have said the same back to Harold, I'd neither heard about him nor seen him before, ever the diplomat though, I refrained from explaining my absence of knowledge.
“Nice to meet you too Harold and I'm presuming your pleasure in meeting me is as a result of good things being said about me ...” it wasn't really a question, more of an off the cuff remark but then Harold didn't stop there.
“John has told me all the good and all the bad and to be fair, I think he's a very lucky man, contrary to what he has other people believe. I'd be hard pushed to find a woman who stands by her man the way you do, and you find the time to work as well?”
The word 'working' jolted me, “I wouldn't call running a business just 'working', Harold, but I agree, John is very lucky indeed to have a woman like me in his life.”
Inwardly I was seething, it was quite clear that John had played down my career and Harold had the impression that I was some kind of employee who worked for pocket money on the side whilst at the beck and call of her husband. I decided on impulse that it was probably better for myself, the other guests and more importantly John for me to leave the scene temporarily.
Down at the very bottom of the garden we had a summer house, casually I retreated to its secluded sanctuary. For the first time in my short marriage, I wanted, needed to be alone. As pragmatic as I was in business I felt the need for solitude, to work things out; I never allowed my heart to rule business decisions and rarely felt the need to treat my personal relationship with a business attitude but right then, learning how John spoke about me, the way he had recently been treating me, and my basic instincts, were screaming out for me to think hard.
I closed the door to the summer house and sat myself down on the cold, hard bench. It hit me, I was alone; I felt it and I was it. No stranger to having to fight for things I realized that every resource of survival, necessity and ambition was dripping away from my persona and if I wasn't careful I would become a former shadow of myself, I doubted all kinds of things, including myself. Furthermore I was allowing this to happen and I was permitting a man to do so, I was used to functioning in a man's world and I hit back with hardest of punches, this time, and perhaps for longer than I cared to admit, my punch was waning.
It was time for change.
I'd reached a turning point.
CHAPTER 3 – TURNING POINT
I waited for the final guests to leave; I wasn't prepared to make any kind of scene whilst they were at the party and certainly had no intention of making a scene after they'd left so I had to pick my moment carefully. Unfortunately Miguel was full of beans once the party was over because, despite my inner feelings and conclusive decision, I'd remained in control of myself and provided the perfect environment for our unsuspecting visitors. I was also very aware that John was completely oblivious to how I felt and until we had time to talk, where both of us were happy to communicate, we needed to continue as the perfect hosts.
As John waved off the Japanese investors, he closed the door behind him and smiled back at me. For one split second I questioned whether I'd got it all wrong; perhaps it was a stress thing, was it possible that now it was all over he would revert back to the husband I married? I decided to test the water.
“Well, that was a success. Fancy a drink in the conservatory?”
I hoped within that my question had sounded confident enough to not even sound like a suggestion, more of a course of action but nevertheless, John agreed. Ten minutes later we were both sat, feet up, glass of wine in our hands, silently mulling over the day's events. I was even more delighted when Miguel turned up in the doorway, his intention to join us, was met by John asking for some time alone as he wanted to spend some
“Nice to meet you too Harold and I'm presuming your pleasure in meeting me is as a result of good things being said about me ...” it wasn't really a question, more of an off the cuff remark but then Harold didn't stop there.
“John has told me all the good and all the bad and to be fair, I think he's a very lucky man, contrary to what he has other people believe. I'd be hard pushed to find a woman who stands by her man the way you do, and you find the time to work as well?”
The word 'working' jolted me, “I wouldn't call running a business just 'working', Harold, but I agree, John is very lucky indeed to have a woman like me in his life.”
Inwardly I was seething, it was quite clear that John had played down my career and Harold had the impression that I was some kind of employee who worked for pocket money on the side whilst at the beck and call of her husband. I decided on impulse that it was probably better for myself, the other guests and more importantly John for me to leave the scene temporarily.
Down at the very bottom of the garden we had a summer house, casually I retreated to its secluded sanctuary. For the first time in my short marriage, I wanted, needed to be alone. As pragmatic as I was in business I felt the need for solitude, to work things out; I never allowed my heart to rule business decisions and rarely felt the need to treat my personal relationship with a business attitude but right then, learning how John spoke about me, the way he had recently been treating me, and my basic instincts, were screaming out for me to think hard.
I closed the door to the summer house and sat myself down on the cold, hard bench. It hit me, I was alone; I felt it and I was it. No stranger to having to fight for things I realized that every resource of survival, necessity and ambition was dripping away from my persona and if I wasn't careful I would become a former shadow of myself, I doubted all kinds of things, including myself. Furthermore I was allowing this to happen and I was permitting a man to do so, I was used to functioning in a man's world and I hit back with hardest of punches, this time, and perhaps for longer than I cared to admit, my punch was waning.
It was time for change.
I'd reached a turning point.
CHAPTER 3 – TURNING POINT
I waited for the final guests to leave; I wasn't prepared to make any kind of scene whilst they were at the party and certainly had no intention of making a scene after they'd left so I had to pick my moment carefully. Unfortunately Miguel was full of beans once the party was over because, despite my inner feelings and conclusive decision, I'd remained in control of myself and provided the perfect environment for our unsuspecting visitors. I was also very aware that John was completely oblivious to how I felt and until we had time to talk, where both of us were happy to communicate, we needed to continue as the perfect hosts.
As John waved off the Japanese investors, he closed the door behind him and smiled back at me. For one split second I questioned whether I'd got it all wrong; perhaps it was a stress thing, was it possible that now it was all over he would revert back to the husband I married? I decided to test the water.
“Well, that was a success. Fancy a drink in the conservatory?”
I hoped within that my question had sounded confident enough to not even sound like a suggestion, more of a course of action but nevertheless, John agreed. Ten minutes later we were both sat, feet up, glass of wine in our hands, silently mulling over the day's events. I was even more delighted when Miguel turned up in the doorway, his intention to join us, was met by John asking for some time alone as he wanted to spend some
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