by Megan Crane
“Nobody has dated as much as Callan,” Dani said. “That includes me and I’m still single and eight years older!”
They all looked at her then. Dani, never one for the subtle approach, was the first to ask. “So, how are things with Toby?”
“Over.” Callan answered for her.
“But--Why? Was it the age difference? He was in your class at school, wasn’t he Mat?”
“Yes. And he’s a good guy. But just let Sage, be. You know she doesn’t like talking about stuff like this.”
Sage shrugged. She never found it easy discussing anything personal. And why was that? She’d assumed it was just her personality.
But suddenly she remembered her mother saying something to her only a few months before she died. They’d been right here, in the kitchen, and Sage had been twelve. Bev Carrigan had leaned over the table and taken Sage’s hand in hers. “You used to be such a chatterbox, honey. What’s happened to you?”
Sage hadn’t said a word, and her mother had sighed. “Guess you’re at that age, huh?”
At the time she hadn’t realized her mother was talking about adolescence. But those years were long gone and Sage still felt as if there was a fine plastic film separating her from the people she loved. She wished she could just set down the secret and leave it somewhere. But secrets were like land mines. You had to make sure no one stepped on them. Or the whole family might blow apart.
* * *
An hour later they were gathered around the dining room table, the five of them—just as it had been before Mattie got married and before Dani moved to the city. Some fathers might have deemed the occasion worthy of a toast. Or at least have said something like, “It’s good to have all my girls under the same roof again.”
Not Hawksley. He did come close to smiling a few times. But when dinner was over, he didn’t linger. “Got my show to watch. Sage, you make sure you stay and help clean up. Don’t leave all the work to your sisters.”
Dani shook her head disbelievingly after he’d gone. “He never changes. Never.”
“I don’t mind,” Sage said. “He’s disappointed I gave up barrel racing.”
“Wasn’t that five years ago?” Ever the mother, Mattie started stacking the plates.
“Let me do that,” Sage said. “Dad’s right—I missed all the prep work.”
Mattie didn’t release her hold. ”Because you were working. Sage, you have a God-given gift with chocolate. I hope you never let him guilt you into giving up your business.”
“I won’t,” Sage said calmly. Her older sisters were always quick to defend her, and that was sweet. But she wished they would cut their dad a little more slack. “He’s looking older, don’t you think?”
“He’s losing steam on the ranch, too,” Callan confided. “He doesn’t want to admit it, but he can’t work as much as he used to. He said he has to go watch his show—but I’ll bet you anything you’ll find him sleeping by the TV.”
“Maybe we need another hired hand?” Dani asked. They’d cleared off the table and were now in the kitchen, falling back into their old roles easily. Mattie putting away the leftovers, Dani rinsing the plates and handing them to Sage to stack in the dishwasher, while Callan wiped the countertops and appliances.
Again Sage’s mother’s voice was in her head, as she admired the pattern on the old Royal Albert dishes. “Silly nonsense having nice dishes and never using them. Of course we’re going to put them in the dishwasher...”
“I suggested hiring another worker, but he dug in his heels. You know how he can get.” Callan shook her head. “I think the only strategy with any hope of success is if I got married. He’d have to let my husband work on the ranch.”
”Married? Do you have a candidate in mind?” Mattie had to know.
“You mean just one?”
They all laughed again.
When it came time to leave, Sage felt a little sad. Maybe she should have packed a bag and stayed overnight. She hated to miss any of the fun. But she would see them on Saturday, at the rodeo and then later at the community steak dinner. When she said goodnight, Mattie walked her to her car.
“You seemed quiet tonight, Sage. I mean, you’re always quiet. But even more so.”
“Yeah, I guess I was.” She thought of Dawson then, something she’d been working hard to forget all night long.
“Is everything okay? With the business?”
“It’s fine. I’m not getting rich. But I’m doing something I love and I’m making a comfortable margin.”
Mattie pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. “Wish I could say the same about our ranch.”
Ranching was always a precarious living. That was why Wes, in his late thirties, was still on the rodeo circuit even though he’d injured almost every body part he had. “Is Wes okay?”
“Just between you and me, he’s been better. A close buddy of his was killed by a bull when they were at the Crazy Horse Stampede in South Dakota this June. It shook him up pretty badly.”
“I guess so.” Sage gave her sister a hug. “Is he thinking of quitting the circuit?”
“I don’t know. We haven’t been talking much. Used to be he’d come home from a rodeo and we’d make love and talk for hours. That hasn’t been happening lately.”
“I guess all couples go through times like that.”
“Sure. We’ll get through it.” Mattie smiled. “Now you better get going. Drive safe little sister.”
Promise Me, Cowboy coming October 15, 2013!
About The Author
Megan Crane
USA Today bestselling author Megan Crane writes women’s fiction, chick lit, work-for-hire YA, and a lot of Harlequin Presents as Caitlin Crews. She also teaches creative writing classes both online at mediabistro.com and at UCLA Extension's prestigious Writers' Program, where she finally utilizes the MA and PhD in English Literature she received from the University of York in York, England. She currently lives in California, with her animator/comic-book artist husband and their menagerie of ridiculous animals. For more info visit her atwww.megancrane.com or www.caitlincrews.com.
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