Mason closed his eyes, massaging his temple with his fingers, trying to figure out where to put this information.
Tricia had been dating a drug dealer. An abusive drug dealer.
But did she know?
No sooner had that thought formulated, that he pushed it away. The one thing he had seen in the time he’d been spending with Tricia was her dedication to her children. Her desire to keep them safe.
She admitted to her bad choices, but he doubted she realized the full implications of what she had done or knew everything about Perry.
“You realize what this means,” Roger said.
“Not sure where you’re going with this,” Mason said, though he knew that was a lie.
“This shows that that woman is irresponsible,” Roger said.
That woman has a name.
“This guy was part of her past,” Mason said. “She broke up with him.”
“You sound like you’re defending her,” Roger said.
“She’s a mother. Those are her children.” Mason held his breath, realizing that supporting Tricia put him in a precarious position with his boss.
The heavy silence that followed his comment showed Mason that he was correct.
“They are also my grandchildren,” Roger insisted. “And I have every right—”
“To see them,” Mason interrupted him. “I’m sure if you sit down and talk with Tricia face-to-face, you might convince her to allow that to happen.”
Rather than charge in, claiming to have a right to them.
“I think you’re losing sight of why I sent you there,” his boss said.
Roger was right. But at this moment Mason did not think that was a bad thing.
Suddenly he was tired of it all. Tired of his boss’s aggression, his insistence that he was right. He thought of what his sister had said just a few moments ago.
You don’t owe him anything anymore.
Old habits of gratitude and, he had to admit, a steady repetition from Roger about how he had helped the family battled with the slowly changing reality of his life.
He had repaid Roger for what he had done. And, like his sister said, Roger had benefited from the arrangement. He owned a prime piece of property and had expanded his own ranch.
“You still there?” Roger demanded.
“Yeah. I am.”
“After I let the police know, I will be talking to my lawyer, to see what my options are,” Roger continued.
“Well, you do what you have to do,” Mason said. “I’m here to train the horses, and I’m finishing that job.”
“A job you got thanks to me,” Roger reminded him. “I want you to keep watching that girl, and how those kids are with her. And if that guy shows up again, you let me know immediately. That’s going in the file too. I want my grandchildren safe and secure.”
“I’m sure Tricia wants the same thing,” Mason said.
“I have to go away for a while. Check out some horses in Kentucky. I’ll be back in about ten days. When I come back, we need to make a plan.”
Ten days. A week and a half’s reprieve from the checking in, the weighing and balancing of what Roger wanted him to do and what Mason knew was right.
“Have a good trip. And I’ll—”
But Roger ended the call before he could finish his sentence.
Mason set his phone on the table and sat back, easing out a heavy sigh, thankful for the break he had been given.
He knew he was delaying the inevitable but, at the same time, ten days would give him some breathing space.
He picked up the book he’d been reading, skimming the last few paragraphs he had read, trying to get back into the story. But all he could think about was laughing gray eyes and a tumble of curly blonde hair.
And what would she think if she knew the real reason you were here?
He wished he could quit this double game. He was tired of dodging around trying to balance his perceptions of Tricia and her relationship with her children with what Roger wanted to do.
Mason dragged his hand over his face, wishing he believed God cared about all this stuff.
Was he really leading Tricia on? Was he doing the same thing every other man had done to her? Fallen for her beauty and used her?
No. His feelings for her increased every minute they spent together. He knew she wanted so badly to be a good mother, he saw that in every interaction with her children.
He couldn’t go along with what his boss wanted.
You need to tell her what’s going on.
He held that thought a moment, remembering how adamant she’d been that Drew’s father not know about the twins. He wished he knew exactly why Drew had told her that. Was it really all about an inheritance?
He’d have to ask Roger.
But not yet. For now he wanted to leave things as they stood.
Tricia heard the men’s voices in the kitchen and took her time with the children, playing with them as she cleaned them up. She guessed Mason and Kane were discussing Perry and the afternoon’s confrontation.
Right about now she didn’t want to face either of them.
So she dragged out the bedtime, reading every favorite book and the new ones Faith had bought the twins.
By the time they had exhausted their library almost an hour had passed, and she didn’t hear the murmur of voices anymore.
Thankfully, the twins were finally tired out. So she tucked them in, kissed them, then sang the lullaby her mother always sang to her. She smiled as they yawned then curled up together on the bed. While she watched, perched on the side of the bed, they fell asleep, their hands twitching, their breathing slowing and deepening.
They looked so utterly adorable and so utterly helpless it made her heart clench.
She had to protect these kids. Had to take care of them.
The specter of Perry hung like a malevolent cloud over her. Yes, Mason had protected her and sent him away, but the fact that Perry had tracked her all the way down here unnerved and frightened her.
Tricia covered her face with her hands, fear slithering like a snake through her belly.
Help me, Lord, she prayed. Help me keep my kids safe. Forgive me for getting involved with Perry. Forgive me for thinking he was the one who would help me.
She sucked in a quick breath, trying to still her pounding heart. She knew she had to keep it together. Protect her children and get her life free of Perry.
Should we move away from Tall Timber? Get away from Kane’s subtle condemnation? Start over? What if Perry finds us, wherever we go? Who will take care of us then?
The questions roiled through her mind echoing, taunting and teasing.
Kane had always challenged her on her plans, trying to get her to nail down a definite beginning and end point, but how could she? She didn’t know how long it would take her to train the horses to where she could sell them for more than she paid for them.
Three months? Four?
And then? Could she really go back to school? Move away and be on her own?
But could she stay here and be exactly the person Kane had often accused her of being when they were young? Spoiled and entitled?
She pressed her hot cheeks in her hands, struggling to sift fact from emotion from perception.
A light knock on the door broke into her scrambled thoughts.
A quick blink and check in the mirror above the wooden dresser showed a flushed face and bright eyes and a tangled mop of hair. Had she really looked this messy during dinner? Sitting right across from Mason? Was that him now?
She pulled the elastic band out of her hair, finger-combed the snarled curls, and rearranged them in a somewhat neater loose topknot. Sucking in a breath, she walked to the door and pulled it open.
But it was Kane who stood in the hallway. His hands were strung up in the back pockets of his blue jeans, and Tricia recognized the self-conscious pose.
He gave her a crooked smile. The same one that had sent all her friends’ hearts into overdri
ve. The one that used to annoy her because it often meant he had something he wanted to talk to her about. And when they were older, it usually wasn’t something positive.
“Hey you,” she said, striving for a casual tone as she stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her. “What's up?”
Kane puffed out his cheeks, blew out a breath, then angled his head down the hall. “Can we go for a walk down the road?”
She was so not in the mood for one of his “chats,” but she also knew she was walking a fine line where her father and brother were concerned. She owed him some answers.
“Sure.”
“Mason and I cleaned up after supper so you don’t have to worry about that,” he said as they walked down the hall. “Dad’s lying down and Mason went to the cabin.”
Disappointment flickered through her but she nodded. She had hoped by stalling in her children’s room that Kane would give up and head over to Faith’s place to visit her tonight. Hoped her dad would go to bed early as he usually did.
And then?
Then, maybe, she and Mason could sit out on the porch and visit. Talk about horses and life and possibly—
She caught her wayward thoughts, knowing she had to be realistic. Responsible.
Especially after what had happened with Perry this afternoon.
The kitchen was surprisingly tidy, the counters cleaned off, and the dishwasher was swishing through its cycle.
“Supper was good, by the way,” Kane said as he held open the door to the patio for her.
“Thanks. I can learn when I have to.”
“You always could, no matter what you thought of yourself.”
His compliment eased her concerns, settled her nerves.
The sun still shone but an evening breeze sifted across the yard as they walked toward the driveway. Tricia shoved her hands in her pockets, but even though she tried to keep her gaze on the road ahead, she couldn’t help a quick sidelong glance to the cabin Mason was staying in.
“Mason is pretty impressed with how quick you catch on with the horses,” Kane said.
She flushed, wondering if he had caught her errant look, but he was staring straight ahead, a frown creasing his forehead.
“He said you have a natural talent with them.”
The secondhand praise from the man who occupied so much of her thoughts warmed her heart. “I enjoy it a lot. I’m learning so much from Mason.”
“And you’re still selling the horses when you’re done training them?”
“You know what my plans are,” Tricia said.
He gave her a slow nod, his eyes still ahead. “Mason told me about your visit from Perry.”
“If you want to call it a visit.” She couldn’t keep the harsh tone out of her voice. Or the faint note of fear.
“I’m sorry that happened,” Kane said. “I wish I could’ve been here.”
“Well, I’m glad Mason was,” Tricia said.
“I have a hundred things I want to say right now,” Kane said. “But what I want to tell you more than anything, is we’re here for you. Dad and I. I know we haven’t always gotten along the best, I haven’t always been the brother I should have been—”
“You had your own stuff to deal with,” Tricia interrupted him.
“Regardless, I know I’ve been judgmental. And I’m sorry about that.”
His apology filled the space she didn’t realize had been empty until now. She had missed him. The man he was when she came back to the ranch was not the brother who had stood up for her in school. Who had helped her with her homework and taught her how to drive a car.
“While we’re apologizing and everything,” Tricia said, “you need to know I’m truly sorry I didn’t stay in touch with you and Dad. After the accident I was so mixed up and confused, and I was scared.”
“What were you scared of?” Kane asked, sounding puzzled. “Elliot told us the accident wasn’t your fault.”
“It wasn’t the accident. It was what Drew told me. What he told me about his dad.” She had already told Mason, which made her realize she should also let her brother know.
As they walked, she explained the situation, explained how fervent Drew’s insistence was about his father. She told him about her new husband dying in her arms, and once again, tears flowed.
Kane stopped, and to her surprise he drew her close, patting her awkwardly on the back.
“I’m so sorry,” he murmured. “I wished you would have—” He stopped himself, then stepped back, his hand still on her shoulders. “No. I’m not going there. I’m glad you told me now.”
“I really was afraid of Drew’s dad,” Tricia said. “Drew had told me stories about him, and I knew I wasn’t living a good life. It only seemed to underline my fears and insecurities that I wasn’t a good mother and didn’t deserve to have the kids. And so I was afraid that if I came here, if I stayed too close in contact with you guys, Drew’s father would find us.”
“You were that afraid he would come and take the kids away?”
“Yeah. I was. You should have heard the way Drew talked. Besides, like I said, I knew I wasn’t able to give the kids what I thought they should have. I did my best, and I tried my hardest. Perry was a huge mistake, but I really thought he could give me and the kids the same life I grew up with. I thought if I had a good husband who could provide for me, I wouldn’t have to worry about Drew’s father. Perry had money and a good job.”
“And a terrible temper,” Kane added.
“I found that out as well, and that’s why I broke up with him. And that’s another reason I stayed out of touch. I was moving to stay away from him. Trying to avoid him.” She twisted her hands together, struggling with her current reality. “And he found me anyway.”
“Like I told you, you know we’ll take care of you.”
“And when I move?”
Kane rested his hands on his hips, holding her gaze. “Do you have to move? Do you have to go back to school to be what you think you should be?”
Old habits, and old offenses made Tricia pull back. “You don’t think I can do school?”
Kane gave her a gentle smile as he shook his head. “I think you can do whatever you set your mind to. I’ve seen you in action, I know you can. You made it through high school.”
“That was only because of your help,” she admitted.
“You didn’t let your dyslexia hold you back,” Kane said. “And if you want to continue your education, it won’t this time either. But is that really you? Is that really what you want to do?”
“Well, I know I can’t hang around here mooching off you and Dad all my life.”
“Mooching?” He chuckled. “This ranch is as much yours as it is mine and Dad’s. You’re the only biological child. If anyone has a stake in this place, it’s you. Not me.”
“Dad would be furious if he heard you say that,” Tricia said, allowing herself a small smile.
“Dad and I have gone over that. I think we're good.” Kane returned her smile. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I think you should do what Mason suggested.”
“What was that?”
“He didn’t mention it to you?”
Tricia lifted her hand in a vague “I don’t know” gesture. “He said something about me looking into training horses full-time, that he thought with more training I could go somewhere, but that wasn’t my plan. Besides, I don’t know where I would do it.”
“Here?”
Tricia could only blink as his words settled into her mind. “On the ranch?”
“Yes. Mason said you could do a bunch of things with that. You could get more training, do clinics here, barrel racing clinics, riding clinics. I think we should look into some possibilities.”
His one phrase caught her attention. Mason said…
“You really think I should do this?” She was still trying to shift her thoughts, imagine another future that she realized was far more appealing than the one she had always envisioned.
&n
bsp; But you won’t be independent.
She let the thought settle, not sure it was as important as she used to think it was.
“Yeah.” He lifted one shoulder in a self-conscious shrug. “Much as you think I’m annoyed with you, I don’t like you leaving with those kids. Faith and I are attached to them, and Dad’s crazy about them, and we’d like you to live here.”
She could hardly believe what he was saying. Could hardly believe there would be a place for her here on the ranch. Occasionally, when she was feeling especially optimistic, she allowed herself a tiny hope. But too soon the thought of all the mistakes she had made and the things she had done wrong overwhelmed that hope. But now her brother, the one who had initially been so hard on her when she arrived, was offering her a dream.
She swallowed down a surprising surge of happy tears. Biting her lip to hold them back, she turned her head away.
“Now, you don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Kane said, misinterpreting her action. “It was just an idea. I wanted you to know it’s a possibility. You need to know we love you and that we care about you. But we also want you to be the best person you can be. Besides, Faith would be thrilled if you could stick around.”
Tricia turned to look back at the ranch, shifting her perception. It had always been her home, and being away from it had showed her how much she missed it. At one time she thought she would never leave, and at another time in her life she thought she’d never come back.
“I have to think about it,” she said.
“What do you need to think about?”
She caught her lower lip between her teeth, mining her thoughts for the right words.
“You always said I was spoiled and that I sailed through life. I guess I want to prove that I’m independent. That I can take care of my kids. Myself.”
“Like I said, it was just an idea,” Kane said.
“And I appreciate your talking to me about it.” She didn’t dare say anything more. The idea was too new. It would take a radical shift in her plans and her concept of how she wanted her life to look.
“Of course. This is your home,” he said. “It will always be here for you.”
They shared an awkward smile then walked a little farther, seemingly content with the silence.
The Cowboy's Family (Family Ties Book 2) Page 13
