Lip Service

by Susan Mallery

  “I think you’re upset that he wants to go out with me. I think you can’t believe he could possibly be interested in me so you’re throwing yourself in the middle of this. You have to be the special one all the time. It’s all about you.”

  Izzy folded her arms over her chest. “I was trying to be nice,” she said, obviously angry and hurt. “I was worried about you because I care about you. You don’t date a lot and I do. I have more experience at this. But fine. Think I’m so truly horrible that I can’t let my own sister be happy with a guy. Think that I need it to be all about me. But when I’m right about T.J., and I will be, you’ll be the one apologizing to me.”

  Izzy stalked out of the kitchen.

  Skye stood by the sink, feeling sick to her stomach. She didn’t want to fight with her sister. It wasn’t right. But Izzy had always been the one guys went for. Her appeal to men defined her. So to have Skye steal some of the spotlight, even on such a tiny scale, had to bother her.

  She left the kitchen and started toward the stairs. Her father called her.

  “The party went well,” Jed said, coming out of his study. “You and T.J. got along.”

  “Not even subtle, Dad,” she said. “He’s a nice man and we’ve been on one date. We’re not engaged.” Nor were they likely to be, she thought, knowing she didn’t need any more heartache in her life. There had been enough already. And falling in love was only an invitation for more.

  “No one’s talking about you getting engaged,” he said.

  “Not in public, but we all know you have big plans to sell me again.”

  “Harsh language, baby girl. I’m only looking out for you.”

  If only that were true, she thought.

  “Are you?” she asked. “Then you won’t mind telling me what T.J. has that you want so badly?”

  Her father’s easy smile faded and his expression tightened. “Be careful, Skye. There are consequences for screwing with me.”

  His cold voice combined with the threatening words drained all the strength and will from her. She could barely remain standing. Even after he returned to his study, she felt weak and afraid.

  Without wanting to, she remembered being ten years old. It had been a good day, a happy day. The sun was bright. That’s what she recalled. The play of sunlight on the bathroom tiles.

  Every day when she got home from school, she raced upstairs to her mother’s rooms. Only her. Izzy stayed in the kitchen with the housekeeper, but Skye flew into Pru’s room.

  “I’m home, Mom,” she called. “Did you miss me?”

  Pru would be on the bed or in the chair in the corner. She would always look up and smile and say she’d missed Skye more than anything. Even on the dark days when the smiles didn’t seem right, she said the words as if she meant them. As if she loved Skye more than anything.

  But on that last day, Pru hadn’t been in her usual places. And deep inside, Skye had known something was scary wrong.

  She’d walked into the bathroom. The first thing she saw was light on the tiles. Then she saw the letter…addressed to her. She’d picked it up and read.

  He doesn’t love me, Skye. Jed doesn’t love me. No matter what I do or how I try, he doesn’t love me at all.

  That was it. Those few words. Skye had read them again and again, not understanding but getting more scared by the minute.

  It was only then she noticed the sweet sickly smell of blood in the room. Terrified but unable not to look, she approached the bathtub.

  Pru lay inside, fully dressed and covered with blood. She’d slit both her wrists. Her face was so peaceful—that had been Skye’s last thought before she’d started to scream.

  CHAPTER SIX

  AFTER GETTING Erin on the bus for school, Skye walked back to the house for a last cup of coffee before leaving for work. When she returned to the kitchen, she found Izzy standing there, holding the paper. As the two of them weren’t exactly speaking, Skye wasn’t sure how to act.

  Izzy solved the problem by putting the newspaper on the table and pointing to the headline—Titan Cattle Tainted With Mad Cow.

  Skye felt her knees give way and grabbed the counter to keep from falling.

  “Oh, no,” she breathed. “This is bad.”

  “There’s an understatement,” Izzy said with a sigh. “You know what this means.”

  Skye nodded. No Texas cattle ranch could survive even a whisper of the feared disease. Prices would plummet. Thousands of pounds of beef would be returned. Cattle would be tested and retested and in the end, even if there wasn’t a problem, people would remember the charge.

  “Jed isn’t stupid,” Skye said, scanning the article. “His ranch manager knows high standards are required. Jed eats that beef, as do his guests. He would never risk himself or them. Just as important, he wouldn’t treat his cattle that badly.”

  “They eat vegetarian diets.” Izzy walked over and poured herself a cup of coffee. “They have for years.”

  “This is Garth,” Skye said, frustrated that he was still a problem. “How are we going to stop him?”

  “I don’t know, but Lexi’s coming over. She called while you and Erin were waiting for the bus.”

  Five minutes later Lexi arrived looking angry and frustrated.

  “Our jerk of a half brother is taking this too far,” Lexi said as she tossed her purse on the counter and walked to the coffeepot. Halfway there, she paused, swore and detoured to the refrigerator where she pulled out a jug of juice.

  Despite everything, Skye smiled. “Still missing the caffeine, huh?”

  “Every day.” Lexi sat at the table with her juice.

  “I called Jed on the way over,” she said. “Or at least I tried. He was busy and couldn’t be disturbed. He can’t be happy.”

  “He’ll handle it,” Izzy said confidently. “That’s what Jed does.”

  “What I want to know is how the story got out there,” Skye said, remembering the false leaks about her foundation. “Somehow Garth is able to convince the press he has the real story and they don’t bother to check with us. How can he do that?”

  “Money,” Lexi said. “Influence. We’ll figure it out.”

  They talked more about the “Garth problem” then Lexi picked up Skye’s mug of coffee and inhaled the aroma.

  “Nice party for Erin,” she said.

  Skye eyed her sister. “She had a good time.”

  “Mitch was there.”

  If Skye and Izzy had been getting along better she would have tried to get her sister to help distract Lexi. But under the circumstances, she was on her own.

  “Yes, he was. He and Erin have met. She adores him and asked him to come, so he did.” She took back her coffee and gulped it. “Nothing more.”

  “Uh-huh.” Lexi looked at Izzy and raised her eyebrows. “There was plenty of smoldering going on.”

  Skye wanted to be anywhere but here. “In your imagination.”

  “I think it was more than that, but you were only hanging with the other guy. What’s his name?”

  “T. J. Boone,” Izzy told her. “He’s Jed’s latest pick for Skye. They’re going to get married soon.”

  Skye clutched her mug. “That is neither true nor fair. Yes, Jed wants me to consider him, but I’ll be making my own decisions.”

  “The way you did with Ray?”

  Skye stiffened.

  Lexi stared at Izzy. “Okay, what’s going on with you two? Izzy, that was just plain mean.”

  “She won’t listen to me,” Izzy grumbled, looking uncomfortable but not apologizing.

  “Right,” Skye snapped. “Make this my fault. God forbid you should take responsibility for anything.”

  “I’m taking responsibility for this and you won’t listen.” Izzy flipped her long, dark curly hair over her shoulder. “I told her T. J. Boone is just messing with both of us. The first night he was here, he came on to me. I tried to warn Skye, but she’s not interested in that.”

  Skye stood. “You didn’t try to
warn me. You told me he couldn’t possibly be interested in me, that he was just doing what Jed told him and the only one who got him hot was you. That the only way I would get a guy was if Jed bought me one.”

  “I never said that.”

  “You implied it. You also implied I’m too feeble to figure out a guy’s intentions on my own.”

  Izzy sprang to her feet. “You’re taking it all wrong. I’m trying to protect you. T.J. asked me out. There’s something going on. I can tell. I just want to help.”

  “By telling me he’s going to totally fall for you because what man could look at the two of us and want me?”

  Izzy hesitated just long enough to make Skye want to slap her.

  Lexi got to her feet and rubbed her forehead. “You two both need therapy. Skye, do you really care enough about this guy to fight with Izzy about him?”

  “Of course not. But it’s not about T.J.” She looked at Izzy. “I’m really hurt that you think I’m such a spaz that I can’t get a date on my own. And yes, you’re fun and beautiful, but somewhere on the planet there has to be at least one guy who could possibly be interested in me even after he meets you.”

  Izzy shifted uncomfortably. “I didn’t say there wasn’t. I’m not all that.”

  “Sometimes you act like you are.”

  “I’m just afraid of what T.J. is up to.”

  “I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”

  Izzy looked like she wanted to say more, but she appeared to think better of it. “Okay. I’ll stay out of it.”

  Lexi glanced between the two of them. “Better?” she asked. “Are we all happy?”

  “Sure,” Izzy told her. “I need to go shower.” She left the kitchen.

  Lexi and Skye both sat back down.

  “We have enough trouble with Garth,” Lexi said. “We don’t need the two of you fighting.”

  “I know. I should be more mature.” Skye finished her coffee. “She just bugs me sometimes. She’s not all that.”

  Lexi raised an eyebrow.

  Skye laughed. “Okay. She is all that, but I can be all that, too. At least a little.”

  “We all need a goal.” Lexi leaned forward. “At the risk of us fighting, too, have you talked to Mitch much?”

  Skye didn’t know how to answer that question. They’d had sex, they’d fought, but had they actually talked? As in just having a conversation?

  “Some,” she said. “He’s…he’s having trouble adjusting.”

  “Not a big surprise.”

  “I know. Things are complicated.” She hesitated. “He thinks Erin is his.”

  Lexi winced. “You’re kidding. She’s not…is she?”

  “No. How could you ask me that?”

  “You got pregnant pretty fast.”

  Not something Skye was proud of. “Erin is Ray’s. She has a birthmark that comes from his side of the family. I’ve told Mitch Erin isn’t his, but he doesn’t want to listen. He basically told me either she was his or I was a whore for sleeping with Ray.”

  “Ouch.”

  “My reaction was a little stronger.” Skye didn’t want to think about their fight.

  “It makes sense,” Lexi said. “While you two haven’t been together in a long time, coming back home probably brings everything to the surface. He’s angry and hurt. After all, you dumped him the day after you accepted his proposal. That’s going to piss off anyone.”

  “Thank you so much for taking my side.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Skye shook her head. “Don’t be. You’re simply telling the truth. I acted badly and Mitch wants me punished. I can handle that. I just want to make sure he doesn’t also hurt Erin. She hasn’t done anything wrong.”

  MITCH WALKED into the barn expecting to find it empty. Instead he saw Erin grooming Bullet. As soon as she heard his footsteps, she turned and tucked the brush behind her back.

  “Hi,” she said, looking guilty. “I, um. Hi.”

  “What are you doing?” His voice came out more harshly than he’d planned and she flinched.

  “Bullet’s lonely,” she said, her shoulders hunching as she seemed to shrink. “I didn’t want him to be sad because you’re not riding him.”

  Mitch was willing to take on just about anyone, but he didn’t want to hurt Erin.

  He crossed to her and touched her arm. “Thank you,” he said quietly.

  She looked up, her big eyes wide and apprehensive. “You’re not mad?”

  “No. You’re right. Bullet is in a strange barn and I haven’t been paying attention to him. It was nice of you to think of him.”

  Erin smiled and he would swear it lit the whole barn. “He’s a really nice horse. He’s been specially trained, you know. So you can mount him from the other side. I think he’s really smart. Maybe after you get to know him and everything maybe I could ride him sometime.”

  “Sure,” Mitch said absently, thinking he would never ride the horse. What was the point? There wasn’t anywhere to go.

  Erin handed him a brush, then grabbed a second one for herself. She stepped up to Bullet and went to work.

  “You’re not scared, are you?” she asked, not looking at him.

  He studied the horse. “No. I’m not scared.”

  “Then why aren’t you riding him?”

  “I’m not that man anymore.”

  “What man?”

  “Someone who rides.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “You think you forgot? I could help you remember. It’s really easy. You gotta get back on the horse. It tells people who you are.”

  “You hear that from your grandfather?” he asked.

  “Uh-huh, and Mom, too.”

  “What about your dad?”

  The question popped out before he could stop it. Erin continued brushing the horse.

  “He’s been gone a long time.” She pushed her bangs off her forehead and sighed. “I don’t remember him much. I try really a lot. Sometimes at night before I go to sleep I think about something we did. Like going to Disney World, or Christmas. But it’s hard.” She leaned against Bullet. “I have a lot of half brothers and sisters. They’re really old. Older than Mom. It’s hard to explain.”

  Maybe for an eight-year-old, but it wasn’t hard to understand. Ray had been significantly older than Skye. He had children from his first marriage. Erin was probably aunt to adults in their thirties.

  “He loved us,” Erin continued. “He would tell me every night when he put me to bed. I remember that.”

  She smiled and he could only smile back. Because to do otherwise was to be more of a bastard than even he was comfortable with.

  Arturo walked into the barn. “I don’t know about this,” he grumbled when he saw Erin.

  She dropped the brush and ran to him. “Please? You promised. Mom said it was okay. She’s coming by. I’m ready. I’m really, really ready.”

  Arturo looked over her head at Mitch. “She wants to start jumping.”

  Mitch frowned. “Isn’t she a little young?”

  “That’s what I’ve been saying. But she’s determined.”

  “No, I’m not,” Erin said, sounding a lot like her mother when Skye got stubborn. “I’m not scared and I can do it.”

  “Which sounds a lot like determined to me,” Arturo said and ruffled her hair. “I’ll set up the jumps, but you’re going to listen to everything I say. Promise?”

  She threw her arms around him. “I promise and cross my heart.” She ran down the length of the barn calling for her horse.

  “I hope I’m not going to regret this,” Arturo muttered. “You taking Bullet out?”

  “No.”

  “He needs some exercise.”

  “You should have thought of that before you bought him.”

  Arturo stared at him for a long time, then turned away. Mitch ignored the twinge of guilt and led Bullet to his stall.

  Nearly a half hour later Erin proved she was more than ready. She easily took the low jumps Arturo had
set up in the corral. She rode like she’d been born to the saddle. His genes at work, he thought as he leaned against the fence, watching her.

  Familiar anger built up inside of him, battling with pride. Everything would have been different, he thought furiously. If he’d known about Erin, he would have come home. He would have been a part of her life. He wouldn’t have missed so much.

  A car pulled up but he didn’t turn around. Seconds later he knew Skye was next to him. He could sense her, not to mention smell her perfume. Just a whiff of the floral fragrance was enough to make him want her again. They could do it in the barn, like they had when they were kids.

  Back when life hadn’t been so damn complicated, he thought. Before he’d gone away and she’d betrayed him.

  “We need to talk, Mitch,” she said, standing next to him.

  He sensed her gaze on him but didn’t turn. “So talk.”

  “Not here.”

  “Why not? You have somewhere better in mind?”

  “Somewhere private. The barn or your office or wherever. Just not in front of Erin.”

  He glanced at her, saw the worry in her eyes and something else. Something that made his gut tighten.

  “My office,” he said, and led the way.

  His office was off the main barn and wasn’t a place he’d been to since his return. He half expected the door to be locked, but the handle turned easily.

  Inside everything was as he remembered. The same desk in the same place. The computer looked new. Maybe Arturo had replaced the old one when he’d found out Mitch was coming home. There were files, pictures and a small refrigerator humming in the corner.

  At one time he’d thought this would be his life. That he would grow old on this ranch. Then he’d lost Skye and everything had changed.

  Mitch ignored it all. He faced her. “What?”

  She pulled a slim envelope out of her purse and handed it to him. The return address was the lab in Dallas.

  “You reading my mail?” he asked as he took it.

  “Fidela saw me driving by and asked me to give it to you. I think she knows what’s inside.”

  The envelope was still sealed. Anticipation tightened his gut. “Do you?”