A Cowboy's Homecoming

by Leigh Riker

  “One meal at the Bon—what’s the name?—was enough for me,” Margot said.

  “Bon Appetit.” Noah sighed. “Kate was trying to be helpful.” He turned toward the stall where Teddie was waiting. “Come see the foal. You may not like horses, but I guarantee you’ll love this one.”

  “I’ll just wait here, thanks.”

  Which left Kate with Margot and her own feeling of being a country bumpkin, poorly dressed, with no real experience of the outside world. She recalled Noah’s remarks about New York; the restaurants; museums; the zoo, which Teddie would love. Was Noah right that she was crimping her child’s sense of adventure? Perhaps she did need to think about that. Was she really keeping Teddie safe? Or limiting his development? She had no idea what to say to Margot, who drew back as if she feared touching Kate.

  “I didn’t realize how cold—primitive—a barn could be.” Margot finally looked at her. “Is there some place warmer I could sit while Noah spends even more time here?”

  “Why don’t you go on up to the house, then? It’s much cozier there. I’ll give my aunt a quick call to tell her you’re coming. Meg will have fresh coffee, I’m sure. My dog can show you the way.”

  Hearing his name, Bandit got up, his joints cracking. His tail hadn’t wagged once since Noah arrived, but at least he didn’t growl again. He trotted in front of Margot to the doors as Kate pulled out her phone to alert Meg she’d have company.

  But wonder of wonders, Kate now had her chance to talk to Noah after all.

  * * *

  “SORRY ABOUT THAT.” Noah dragged a hand through his hair. “I knew Margot wasn’t especially fond of mud, barns or horses, but I thought we had reached an agreement. She’d stop here with me—and I’d take the rest of my day to show her the Kansas sights.”

  Kate slipped her cell back into her pocket. “Maybe you’re not a Kansas-sights person.”

  Noah laughed, breaking the tension he’d felt since coming into the barn. Teddie climbed off the stall door, then ran over to him, wrapping his arms around Noah’s knees. “Why is your girlfriend mean?”

  At the moment, Noah couldn’t disagree.

  “Teddie.” Kate didn’t let her boy get away with that. “I need to speak with Mr. Bodine alone. I will talk to you at the house.”

  Teddie knew what she meant. He waited a few seconds too long before letting go of Noah. “Can we ride again after my time-out?”

  Kate merely pointed toward the doors, then waited until Teddie had stomped his way across the yard, stepping in old piles of snow or puddles, mud splattering his jeans.

  “He doesn’t think he got a fair hearing,” Noah said.

  “No, but he’s a child, not an adult.”

  “What’s your excuse?” Noah grinned. “‘Not a sights person?’ I could tell from ten feet away that you and Margot aren’t going to be best friends.”

  “I shouldn’t have said what I did. I will scold myself later. Maybe we’ll have to try again.”

  “If she has her way, we’ll be on a plane tonight.”

  “Well, I can understand how she feels. I’m not a New York person.”

  “Keep going, Kate.” But he was still smiling.

  “Sorry, that was uncalled for too.” And she did need to reexamine her prejudice against the Big Apple. If the city wasn’t to her liking, that didn’t mean she should turn Teddie off too.

  Noah’s smile faded. “I should have guessed what would happen. It’s not as if Margot hasn’t told me her views of the WB.”

  “In Manhattan, you probably get along fine.”

  “Yeah, we did, but lately...” He trailed off. “She seemed okay about meeting the colt until we actually left the truck.” Or was it until she’d seen Kate? Margot had always been the jealous type. “We aren’t off to a good start this morning, but then I haven’t been very attentive lately either.” Noah thought of confiding in Kate but only ran a hand over the back of his neck. Instead, he walked to the stall, opened the latch, then stepped inside. Lancelot trotted over to him. “Hey, buddy. How is he medically, Kate?”

  “Doc Crane was here earlier. He’s pleased with Lancelot’s progress. I think we may actually make it through this.”

  Noah exchanged high fives with her. But did Kate realize she’d included Noah when she said “we”? Or had she meant herself and the vet? Noah let the foal nuzzle him as Kate went on with her report.

  “He’s emptying his bottles now—or actually nursing. Either way he’s getting my mare’s milk full-time. I’m afraid his mama is done with him. So I’ll probably stable Lancelot with my mare and her filly.”

  “Then I might as well take the WB’s mare home. Sure you can keep Lancelot awhile longer?”

  “My pleasure. I’ve fallen pretty hard for this little guy.”

  Noah couldn’t stop the thought. And what if you’d ever fallen for me? If, years ago, instead of Rob, he’d won Kate’s heart. Where would they be now? In New York, at the WB or on Sweetheart Ranch? Would Rob still be alive? And why was he pondering all that when he couldn’t tell Kate how he felt? He owed Margot that conversation first about their relationship.

  She cleared her throat. “Noah, while I have the chance, and we’re alone, I need to ask you something. Important.”

  “Okay. What is it?”

  “As you know, the past year hasn’t been good for Teddie—and me.”

  His insides knotted. Noah was already worried about Margot. Was Kate about to blast him again for the accident that had taken Rob’s life? “Right,” he said, “and I realize you think that’s my fault, but—”

  “This is about Teddie. He simply refuses to accept the truth. He still thinks Rob is coming home.” She told him about her conversation with Teddie in the car after his doctor’s appointment. “I’ve tried a thousand times and Sawyer tried to get through to him, but Teddie is adamant. Meg always says he’s stubborn like me. He even asked me why you and Rob hadn’t come here together from New York.”

  Noah’s stomach tightened. “That’s not good. He’s such a bright kid, Kate, yet he’s not mature enough to reason his way around something like this.”

  “While he understands that animals die, he insisted that daddies don’t.”

  Noah glanced toward the colt’s stall. “But he once told me that kids can have more than one daddy.”

  “If there’s a divorce,” she said. “He can understand that because some of his friends have parents who’ve split.” Her gaze had clouded. “Do you see what I mean? I’ve considered a counselor again, but Teddie’s not keen on the idea. I picked the wrong one soon after Rob passed, and he’s reluctant to try another.” She paused. “So, I wanted to ask, would you be willing to talk to him?”

  “Kate, I don’t think—”

  “Teddie adores you. At first, I didn’t feel that was the proper thing, but after the ride we took, our agreement to just let things happen, the friendship you’ve established with Teddie... You could be the best person to reach him.”

  “Me? I’m the guy who never made up with my own father. I don’t have that kind of communication skill.”

  “I think you do.”

  “Kate, no, especially with a kid—your child. I wouldn’t want to mess him up.” And then, there was the blame she’d placed on him about Rob. What if he did damage Teddie? Not only would Noah never forgive himself, neither would Kate. “Teddie and I do have a nice friendship, one I never expected, and I’d like to keep that while I’m here.”

  “While you’re here,” she repeated, reminding Noah that he’d soon be gone.

  He shook his head. Kate considered the friendship, like their truce, to be temporary. So how could she trust him with her son? “I’m honored to be asked, and I hate to disappoint you, but I’d better stick with no for my answer.”

  “Please. Just think about it, Noah.”

  That pleading loo
k in her gorgeous gray eyes, his feelings for Kate, which he couldn’t reveal, were almost enough to change his mind. He hated to let her down but...just as with Margot, what could he say?

  “I’ll let you know,” he said.

  * * *

  “WHAT WAS THIS morning all about?” After returning that night to the ranch, Noah had taken Margot into the ranch office and shut the door. When they’d left Sweetheart Ranch, they’d taken their planned tour of the area, and Noah had held his tongue not to make the rest of the day unpleasant, but inside his mood hadn’t improved. Nor had his resolve changed. He sat at the desk across from Margot’s chair.

  She toyed with the sash on her dress. Before they’d left town, she’d insisted they change clothes to sightsee and have dinner while they were out. “You knew before we went to that place that I’m not a—”

  “Ranch person,” he said for her. “I’m disappointed. I expected you to be civil to Kate and her boy.”

  “I was perfectly civil.”

  But Noah hadn’t missed the undercurrents earlier and neither had Kate. Although he and Margot until now had usually enjoyed each other’s company, and they did share common interests around business in New York, their mutual social circle and an initial attraction that had served them well, here they had little in common, including his new appreciation for the WB. “I get that you feel out of place in what must be an alien environment—”

  “As it is for you.” She gestured at his jeans and flannel shirt. “Maybe it’s been fun for you to revisit the WB but—”

  “You seem to think this is like some Disney World ride for me, but I haven’t been ‘playing cowboy.’ The WB is a business, if in a different way, from J&B Cybersecurity. And the Lancasters have been neighbors for a long time—Kate’s been doing me a favor with the colt.”

  Her gaze downcast, Margot fiddled again with the sash. “Is that all?”

  “The least you could have done—” he began, then stopped. “What did you say?”

  “Kate and her cute little boy seem to hold some fascination for you.”

  So Margot had indeed guessed how he felt when Noah liked to think he had a firm hold on his unexpressed feelings for Kate. “Believe me, Sweetheart Ranch and Teddie are all she cares about.” Which didn’t exclude his interest. Noah swiveled the desk chair back and forth. “This time on the WB has been necessary. My mother takes care of the house, but she couldn’t have managed the ranch too.”

  “Yet you’re taking care of business with J&B—plus here. How fair is that?”

  At first, he would have agreed with her. “Sometimes life’s not fair.” But Noah hadn’t missed her mention of the company just now. Maybe this wasn’t only about his decision to end their relationship as gently as possible. He took a deep breath. The right words or not, they had to come out. “Margot, I’m sorry about all this, sorrier than I can say, but we do need to talk.”

  “Yes, we do.” She straightened her shoulders, retied the sash and met his gaze. “But may I start? I’ve been dying to tell you.” Her eyes sparkled. “My father has an offer for you. He wants to buy J&B.”

  “It’s not for sale.”

  Noah had been blindsided. And he’d thought they were going to discuss their breakup.

  “Please. Hear me out,” Margot said. “I have his official offer upstairs in my bag, and the price is huge, rightfully so,” she added. “You’ve made a tremendous success of the business, but why not cash out now? Take your profit—Brent will take his—and we’ll be set for life.”

  We. Noah could envision Margot and her dad hashing out the details over a glass of wine from one of the many bottles in his cellar, which had an actual tasting room. Noah had once shared a glass of port with the man and cigars, both of which Noah disliked. He’d also gotten the message then. Margot’s father expected to have control, but so far Noah had avoided any real clashes with him, for her sake.

  “Margot, my own father wasn’t an easy man.” Quite an understatement. “Opinionated, stubborn about his ideas of how my life should go. When I left the WB, I became his biggest, eternal disappointment. You know that. No matter how much money I made, it would never have changed his mind. I won’t let your father make my choices for me either.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. If you sell, you won’t have to work as hard. Daddy will give you a nice title in his company or, if you prefer, a board seat, certainly a corner office. You won’t need to use it, though, unless you want to.”

  We’ll be set for life.

  Noah couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

  Margot tried to sweeten the pot. “We can spend more time together, travel if we want to—start our family.”

  He winced as fresh guilt flashed through him. Yet they’d never discussed having kids, and he didn’t appreciate the notion that she might have been playing him ever since he’d opened the front door to find her standing on the porch. She’d acted as if their relationship was the sole reason she’d come, and he’d believed her. Noah felt betrayed. But that offer wasn’t all. He sensed there was even more.

  “What else?” he said.

  “You’d also be getting what you wanted.” Margot held his gaze. “Daddy hopes to acquire the Prentice start-up.”

  Noah’s blood ran cold. “But Brent and I have been negotiating that. It’s almost done.”

  “My father is closer to a deal.”

  “He’s already been talking to them too?”

  “He’ll roll that company into J&B. You can manage them if you want—”

  “Then he’ll flip the combined businesses. Make himself an even bigger profit.”

  “If you want to jump ahead, put it that way...”

  “What other way is there?” So that was Margot’s hidden agenda, which his mother had suspected. “I give up the business Brent and I have sweated to build—sacrifice the greater upside that he and I would have by acquiring Prentice ourselves, plus the satisfaction we’d have in growing J&B, the profit we would get someday when we’re ready to sell—and you get everything you’ve been asking for, thanks to Daddy.”

  Margot had turned pale. “It’s more than time, Noah, for you to commit to our future. My father is only helping to clear the way.”

  Noah feared his head might explode. A few minutes ago, he might have agreed about a commitment. Even his mother had said he was dragging his feet. Now he knew his instincts had been right. “Then maybe he should also buy that ring you’ve been not-so-subtly hinting about. Forget that. I think we’ve talked enough.” He didn’t need the right words now. Margot had forced his hand. “I’ll make a reservation for you to fly to New York—alone.”

  “Wait, baby,” she said. “Don’t be like this.”

  “You didn’t really think this would work, did you?”

  Her chin went up. “I may have come on a bit too strong, but once you think about it, you’ll see I’m right.”

  “I don’t need to think.” Noah stood, then walked over to the door. He didn’t turn around. “We’re not a good match, Margot. I’m sorry, but I’m done.” He couldn’t say it more plainly than that.

  He heard her scrape back her chair and follow him into the hall. Her tone sounded incredulous. “You’re breaking up with me?”

  Noah kept walking. His second call would be to Brent. They needed to head off the Prentice takeover.

  “Tell your father there will be no deal,” he said over his shoulder.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  THE NEXT MORNING, during another storm that had moved in overnight, Noah drove Margot to the airport in awkward silence. He’d known for months they weren’t headed in the same direction relationship-wise and felt guilty for that. He wished he’d spoken sooner, but her betrayal still hurt. Noah had spent half the night on the phone with Brent, trying to circumvent the Prentice takeover by her father.

  Now, having seen Margot off, Noah was
back from Kansas City, and his truck plowed to a stop near the house at Sweetheart Ranch. Teddie flew out the door, wearing only a T-shirt and jeans. “Lookit all this snow! Do you know how to make a fort, Mr. Bodine?”

  “I do,” he said, feeling his spirits lift as he climbed down from the pickup.

  Kate came out, holding Teddie’s jacket. “Put this on before you freeze. ’Morning, Noah.”

  “Kate. Best kind of weather to build a fort.” Noah’s boots sank into a drift. “We got some good packing stuff last night. You game?”

  “I... Yes.” She sent him a look as if to ask if he’d decided about speaking to Teddie. But try to make a four-year-old understand that his father was never coming back? Because of his conversation with Margot, Noah hadn’t had time to work that out—even to please Kate. Why not ease his tension by playing in the snow? He could think later.

  Teddie was already at the kitchen door again. “I’m getting Aunt Meg. She can help us.”

  “Tell her to bundle up,” Noah said. “We might even make a snowman.”

  In the barn, they convinced Gabe to join them, and the group set about making blocks for the fort, its design growing more elaborate by the minute. Noah knew Kate was waiting for his decision, but his final talk with Margot had been awkward enough.

  As soon as he bent down to form another block, Kate pelted him in the back of the head with a snowball. Noah laughed. “Oh, you shouldn’t have done that,” he said, scooping up more snow.

  And the fight was on. At first, Gabe and Meg held back while Kate, Teddie and Noah waged their snowball war. Then, Gabe dared to stick a handful of the cold, wet stuff down the neck of Meg’s parka and she howled. “Why did you do that?”

  When she faced him, though, her eyes were full of mischief. Who didn’t love a snowball fight? Gabe laughed—and took off running. In the deep snow, Meg didn’t get far chasing him before she went down. Gabe immediately ran back to her, his eyes somber. “You okay?”