by Elle Linder
The man she loved with all her heart had created a lie about her father cheating just to get a piece of land. It was a hard pill to swallow. No wonder her father hated Rex for all these years. She could understand it, but her dad’s words broke her. If she stayed with Rex, he’d never be welcomed on the ranch. Not for the holidays or birthdays or family barbeques or Sunday dinner.
What would happen if she had a baby with Rex? Her tears picked up as she imagined bringing her children to visit while their daddy stayed behind. She couldn’t bear it.
“Tori, honey, give him time,” her mama said in a soft voice.
Tori didn’t want to hear it. She launched out of her seat and ran up to her bedroom.
“Honey, wait!” Mama called.
She locked the door behind her and leaned against the door, clutching her chest. All her hopes and dreams, the plans she’d been making in her head… gone. Maybe she knew from the start her father would never give his blessing so she’d prolonged the inevitable as long as possible. She’d been prepared to choose Rex over her dad. But now that she knew the truth, her father’s words played in her head on a constant loop: Where are your loyalties?
Tori collapsed on her bed in heavy sobs. As much as she wanted Rex, she couldn’t call him. Talking to him right this minute wouldn’t go well. She was heartbroken and furious all at once.
Her mind and heart warred with what to do and think, and who to stand by and love more.
Nineteen
AT NINE O’CLOCK, Rex couldn’t take it anymore. Surely Tori was finished talking to her dad. Fear shot through his heart. His gut told him Conway had told Tori the truth about Rex’s dirty tactics to get the land he’d desperately wanted.
Back then, he was cocky and selfish. But he wasn’t that man anymore. Hadn’t been since the day he signed the purchase papers as a guilt-ridden man. If he’d known then he’d one day fall in love with Conway’s daughter, fifteen years later, he would have never lied.
He was so ashamed and disgusted with himself. And what had he done? He’d chickened out of telling her the truth himself.
Well, he couldn’t wait another second. He typed out a text message and sent it to Tori.
Rex: Sweetheart, I’m worried about you. How are you? Call me or come over.
He watched the screen, hoping to see the bubbles that would show she was responding, but there were none.
For the next half an hour, Rex sat in his leather chair with a glass of whiskey and waited. When he’d had enough, he called her. It rang and rang until it went to voicemail.
“Tori, please call me. I’m worried about you. I’m sure Conway told you how I lied to get the land from McMurray, and you must be furious with me. Let’s talk about it. Please, baby, let’s figure this out. I love you.”
Another half hour passed, and Tori hadn’t called or replied to his text. He put his glass into the kitchen sink and turned off the lights and went to bed in the guest room, where her scent lingered everywhere.
As he was about to climb into bed, his phone chimed with a text. He snatched it off the nightstand and instantly felt like he was punched in the gut by the first few words in her reply.
Tori: I need time. Lying about my dad cheating on my mom is malicious. I’m confused. I need time.
Rex: Yes, it was an awful thing to do but I’m not that man anymore. I’m so sorry. Can I call you?
Tori: No. Don’t call.
Rex dropped onto the edge of the bed and put his face in his hands. He was losing her. Why did he ever believe she’d stay with him after finding out the truth?
Since his mother left, Rex had failed at relationships. All his high school girlfriends broke up with him. After he’d graduated and went on the rodeo circuit, he was a bitter, angry man. He never wanted a permanent girlfriend and didn’t trust women. He was a one-and-done kind of man. He’d have a good time with a lady while in town and then move on to a new one in the next town. It was a lowly life, to be sure.
When he turned twenty-five and had enough money to make his dream come true of owning stables for boarding horses and being a trainer, he quit the rodeo. Piper Ridge had been the only place he had family. His dad and brothers traveled on the rodeo circuit year round and returning to his hometown south of Boise held the memory of his mother’s abandonment. The decision to settle down in Piper Ridge had been easy to make, even though he hardly knew his dad’s sister, Mindy. Rex had wanted to change that and had as the years went by. Putting down roots, something he hadn’t had since he was a boy, and building something he could be proud of had been his only priorities. When he found the fifty acres bordering the north side of Hart Ranch, nothing or no one would stop him from owning it.
Rex rubbed his eyes, feeling the sting of tears. He didn’t deserve Tori, but he sure loved her with his whole heart, something he’d never felt for anyone other than Lyla. He’d been looking forward to the next half of his life being ten times better than the first half.
He laid his weary, broken self in bed and cuddled with Tori’s pillow. Her scent soothed him, but it would eventually fade. It wasn’t a replacement for her touch and love.
There was a time in his life when he only cared about himself. He was a selfish son of a bitch, as Conway Hart had called him, fifteen years ago. Rex wasn’t that man anymore. He didn’t want to come between Tori and her father. Her family meant the world to her, just as she did to him. Letting her go would be the right thing to do. He’d hope if he were ever in a similar position with Lyla, the fellow would step aside and do what was right.
Rex would do what was right because Tori’s happiness was more important than his own.
The next day and a half dragged on. The skies were gray, the air nippy. It mirrored his heart. Tori wasn’t at school on Friday, and Rex was sure she’d called in to avoid seeing him. It didn’t surprise him after she said she needed time, but what she didn’t know was he had stepped aside. He wouldn’t have pressured her into talking or begged her for another chance, which he might have done had he not decided to put her first.
The most painful part of all of this was watching Lyla shut down. Rather than lie to her again and hide the truth, he was honest with her. He owned his mistakes and told his little girl he’d hurt Tori and she wasn’t coming back. It might have been presumptuous of him, but he’d already decided Tori was better off without him and wanted her family left in one piece.
Lyla had cried herself to sleep last night after he told her. When she’d wailed, “Everyone I love leaves!” it had broken his already fractured heart in two. He knew exactly how she felt.
Today his sweet girl had hardly spoken, and she moved about like a zombie lost in the world. She barely ate her breakfast or lunch and refused to take Applesauce for a ride. While Rex worked, Lyla sat on a bale of straw humming “Baby Mine.” He’d recognized the tune from when Tori sang it each night she tucked her into bed. The sight of his devastated little girl had been excruciating to observe, and he couldn’t stop the tears he’d shed.
The honk of a car made both Rex and Lyla’s heads lift. Was it Tori?
Lyla jumped off the bale and ran out to the front. He followed in long strides. As he came upon Lyla frozen in place, he stilled behind her as his eyes fell on Raquel.
“Lyla!” Raquel waved. “Come give Mommy a hug!” A man exited the vehicle. He could have been straight off the cover of a magazine, dressed in a suit with his hair slicked back.
Lyla turned toward Rex and clawed at his leg. “Up, up,” she begged. He lifted her into his arms and she clung to him, burying her face in his neck. He could feel her little heart racing beneath his hand on her back.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“You never texted me like you said you would, so Finn and I decided to come anyway.” She waltzed toward Rex swinging her hips with attitude, her blonde hair blowing in the gentle breeze. “We’re just here for the weekend, for Finn to meet Lyla.” She placed her hand on Lyla’s arm, but Lyla jerked it away.
/> “You should have called,” he hissed, glaring at Raquel, who now appeared annoyed by Lyla’s rejection. Served her right. Lyla didn’t really know her.
“Is your girlfriend around? Will she be angry your ex-wife is here?”
Lyla’s little body tensed. He rubbed her back, trying to calm her.
“Hello, I’m Finn Fraser,” Mr. GQ said, extending his hand. Rex reluctantly shook it.
“Rex Knolls. I’m in the middle of my workday. Now is not a good time for socializing.”
Raquel sighed. “They’re just horses, Rex. We aren’t in town for long. Surely you can accommodate us.”
“No, I can’t. You dropped in without any regard for anyone else. You haven’t changed much in the last couple of years, have you, Raquel?”
“We’re staying at the Maple Inn,” Finn said, interrupting them. “How about we meet for dinner?”
The man seemed far more reasonable and kind than Raquel… the poor fool.
“Yes, dinner. Anywhere you want,” Raquel said.
“Fine. We’ll meet you at PR Pizzeria at six thirty.”
Raquel gaped. “Pizza? How about the tavern? It’s much nicer.”
Finn grabbed Raquel’s hand and tugged her to follow. “We’ll see you at the pizzeria at six thirty,” he hollered, returning to the rental car. He opened the passenger door for Raquel and she huffed getting in. Finn threw up a hand. “Sorry to intrude.”
Rex was stunned. How the hell did Raquel catch a man like that?
“Are they gone?” Lyla asked as the car drove off the property.
“Yes, sweetpea. They’re gone.”
“I want Miss Hart. Call her, Daddy, please…” Lyla started crying.
“I can’t. She asked for time. I already told you, baby. It wasn’t going to work out with Tori.” He hated himself for breaking his little girl’s heart.
Lyla broke into a sob as he carried her back inside the stables. Dinner tonight would be hell. He was sure of it. In the mood Lyla was in, she would fight tooth and nail against anything Rex asked her to do, including talk to Raquel.
The fact that Lyla was crying all over again for Tori made everything else painfully worse. He wanted Tori just as much as Lyla did, but he was going to stay true to his word and let Tori go.
Twenty
TORI WENT THROUGH her day feeling numb inside. It’d been two days since she last saw Rex, and it hurt to breathe without him. How could she make it through the rest of her life feeling empty?
She latched the gate to Daisy’s stall after turning her out following their afternoon ride. Five o’clock was approaching, much too early for bed. Well, what did she care if it was? All she wanted to do was sleep.
“Tor?”
She sighed, hearing Tanner’s voice. She so wasn’t in the mood for talking or lectures.
“Leave me alone, Tanner.” She turned to face him and stopped in her tracks seeing Dawson and Dylan.
“We can’t do that, sis. We’re here for moral support. To help you sort through this. It’s killing us to see you devastated and heartbroken.”
Her lip trembled as Tanner stalked toward her and reeled her into his arms. She broke down on the spot. Sobs ripped from her chest as she clung to her twin, who’d been like her lifeline. “I don’t know what to do,” she wailed. “Who do I choose?”
“Jesus, Tor. Let it out, let it all out. We’ve got your back, honey. We won’t let you fall.”
Those words were why her brothers were the best ever born. They’d told her they would stand by her, support her, and here they were keeping their promises.
Once she calmed and dried her eyes, the four of them huddled in the empty stall in the back of the stables. Dawson had brought a thermos of cocoa and Dylan had a container filled with loaded oatmeal cookies. It seemed Mama knew what the boys were doing. Of course, she always knew what her kids were up to.
“It’s plain to see you love him,” Dawson said first. “You know what I’m going to tell you, Tor—fight for him.”
“It’s not the same as you and Piper. She didn’t lie about your father’s character the way Rex did, just to get his hands on the land Dad was buying. How do you forgive a person for doing such a selfish, malicious offense?”
“Is he still selfish and malicious?” Dylan asked. “Because from where I’m sitting, sis, you would never be with a man like that. You’d cut him loose so fast his head would snap off his neck before he knew what hit him.”
Tori snorted. “I’m not that badass.”
“Yes, you are!” her brothers said in unison.
“You’re the most badass woman I know.” Tanner jiggled her in his arms. “Bailey even thinks you’re a badass.”
Tori shook her head, wiping her eyes. “I’m not. It’s all an act. I’m weak and live in fear of being alone. Well, I had until meeting Rex. He gave me strength. He made me feel beautiful and desired… loved. I felt safe with him.”
“He was your person,” Dylan muttered, keeping his head down. “I know all about that. So you know what it’s like for all the beauty and color they brought into your life to vanish and turn gray.”
She nodded as a tear slipped down her cheek. Dylan was talking about Sofie, his best friend. Tori had suspected his feelings had changed for Sofie over the last several months, but it was never confirmed in her mind until now.
She reached for his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Yes, Rex was my person, and it hurts to breathe without him.”
Dylan squeezed her hand back. “That pain will only get worse the longer you’re without him. Trust me, it’s a miracle I’m sitting here talking.”
They all stared at Dylan in awe. Before now, he never talked about his feelings for Sofie. It appeared her little brother was revealing his heart. No chance would any of them tease him for it. They all adored Sofie. She and Dylan were perfect for each other.
“But what about Dad? He said Rex would never be welcome at the ranch. If we get married, Dad won’t come and walk me down the aisle. If we have children, I’ll have to leave Rex behind when I bring them to visit Mama. It would kill me to have to explain to my kids why their granddad hates their father.”
Her brothers remained quiet for a long spell. It confirmed in her heart just how messed up this situation was with her dad and Rex.
“And do you just forgive someone for the abominable offense they committed? How do you move past that?” she asked. Out of nowhere, Grant Bishop jumped to the forefront of her mind. Rex had told her Grant sexually assaulted her. The way he brutally took her virginity was wicked and unforgivable, yet she managed to get on with her life. She’d always been more like her mama, and proudly so. But her father would carry the chip on his shoulder with Rex’s name on it to the grave. Tori had no desire to be like her dad in that regard.
“What Rex did is shameful, no question,” her mama said in a firm voice, catching them all by surprise. “But I trust your gut instinct about him, Tori. I’ve seen the difference he’s made in your life the past month. It would break my heart if you sacrificed your own happiness just to please your daddy. I know you love him dearly, as he loves you. You’re his baby girl, and nothing will ever change that. Once he gets his head on straight, he’ll come around. In the meantime, go see Rex. Talk this through with him.”
“I don’t know if I can, Mama. He should have told me what happened before I was blindsided. If he loved me so much, he would’ve told me himself.”
“I see. Just as your dad was blindsided in the hardware store. For weeks, probably longer, you kept Rex a secret. What we witnessed that day from your father wasn’t truly his hatred for Rex, it was disappointment and devastation that you weren’t honest with him. That you didn’t tell him yourself about Rex from the start. Do you see the similarities in all this?”
“Damn, Mama, you’re the wisest woman I know,” Dylan said.
“Not always, son. But I just got off the phone with Grandma Peggy, and she made sense of it all for me. I’m relaying her words to y
ou, Tori. Grandma Peggy said, ‘Elise, don’t you let our girl toss away the man she loves. Anyone who throws away love is a fool.’” Mama glanced at Dylan with a knowing look. “You should take Grandma Peggy’s advice too, son.”
“Geez, I’m not the problem here. Grandma Peggy should speak to Sofie and give her an earful.”
Tanner nudged Tori. “So what’re you gonna do, sweetheart?”
All eyes fell on her.
She exhaled and fidgeted with her fingers. “If I go to Rex and we work it out, I’m moving in with him. We’ve already talked about it.” She flitted her eyes to her mama’s that mirrored her own and were filled with tears just as Tori’s were.
Mama sniffled, nodding her head. “I figured as much.” She opened her arms and Tori rushed into them. “I support you one thousand percent, baby.”
“Hey, that’s my line,” Tanner teased. “But seriously, Tor, we all support you, four thousand percent.”
How did she get so lucky to be born into this family? It made her sad that Rex and Lyla didn’t have a close-knit family. But Tori could be their family.
“Go to him, Tori. You know you want to. Follow your heart. It won’t steer you wrong,” Mama whispered in her ear.
“But look at me. I’m a mess. My eyes are probably red and swollen and my face blotchy.”
Her brothers laughed, but Mama only stared at her with love in her emerald-green eyes.
Tanner snorted. “Tor, you’re gorgeous. If Rex is half the man we think he is, he’s going to be thanking the heavens for you coming back to him.”
“The dude isn’t a fool, sis. I mean, he’s making out like a bandit dating a much younger woman.” Dylan winked, like the snarky little shit he was.
“Not funny, mister.” Mama shot him a warning look. She turned back toward Tori. “Pack a few things and take some time to be with Rex and his little girl.”
“Lyla.” Tori couldn’t help but smile when she said her name. “I’ve missed her almost as much as I’ve missed Rex.”
“I can’t wait to meet her.”
