From the corner of her eye, she watched Dub’s reaction. With the attention off him, he tried again. After a few more tries, he managed to take a bite. She noticed John and Tyler stayed focused on Bryce and their own plates of food, avoiding any eye contact with Dub.
“John, would you like some more coffee?” If nothing else, she could serve coffee.
“That would be great. Thanks, Karly.” John held up his mug and nodded to her.
“Tyler, do you want more?”
“No, no. I’m good.”
Dub laughed at something Bryce said, and John put another taco on Bryce’s plate.
Tyler got up and disappeared into the walk-in pantry with his cup.
“I’m going to school today?” Bryce looked at her with anticipation sparkling in his eyes.
Was he really ready? What if he didn’t make the friends he thought he would make? What if the other kids made fun of him and he had to sit alone on the playground and cafeteria?
John picked up the empty plates. “I promised Dub I would keep him updated on our men’s Bible study. Why don’t y’all take Bryce up to the school and talk to them about getting him registered. You can get some groceries, and when you get back we can set that schedule. Karly, we don’t expect you to be here twenty-four hours a day.”
“Oh, I don’t have anywhere else to be and I’m so blessed to be able to live in this beautiful home. Whatever you need, just let me know.”
Tyler came out of the pantry, the steaming mug in his left hand. He took a sip from the cup that was empty just a little bit ago. That was weird. Why didn’t he want her to serve his coffee?
“This is much harder than I thought it would be,” Dub winked at her son. “Bryce, you are a very gifted boy.”
“Oh, no. I just practice a lot. You can do it, too, Mr. Childress, it just takes practice. And sometimes you want to cuss, but my mom won’t let me. Since you’re a grown-up, I guess you can if you want.” He looked at Pastor John and turned red. “You should never cuss.”
Dub grabbed Bryce’s shoulder. “You are one wise cowboy. So glad you’re here.”
John ruffled his hair, and Bryce had the biggest smile on his face.
Hope surged through her. This would work. She could do this and give Bryce the kind of life she’d never had, never even knew could be real.
Now, if they could stay here long enough for her to get her high school degree and become a physical therapist assistant... She could actually be in control of her own future, no longer living out of her car. She could have a real home and a real life. Away from the roads her stepfather’s lies had put her down.
Sometimes she played with the idea of going back down those roads on an apology tour. It wouldn’t serve any purpose, though. Most of the people they’d conned hadn’t even known they had been swindled. She had to remember God’s promise. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
Chapter Seven
Tyler had been home for five days, and a steady routine had been set up. The different therapists had been out to visit his dad, and Karly seemed to be able to keep it all organized and even got his dad to cooperate. He and Jefferson had hired a couple of local kids to help around the ranch, mainly to put miles on the horses and rebuild some damaged fences.
The floods had messed up the roads, and Tyler had taken charge of seeing them repaired. Karly’s car was too low to safely make the crossing. Somehow he ended up driving Karly and Bryce into town every day and taking her when Bryce was done with school for the day.
The one thing he had not done was walk through the barn doors. He knew she was there, but his guilt still ate at him. Her beautiful legs would be scared, legs that used to move with unbelievable quickness. Her days of cutting and winning were over because of a stupid dare.
All he wanted to do was go back to Denver, back to flying, back to the life he had created for himself. This morning, like all the others, Karly started gathering plates off the table. She scraped the leftover eggs onto one dish. There was something about her simple meals he liked. He looked at his dad, then John. John shrugged. “Dub, you won’t be able to make it to the Houston show. You have to focus on getting better and not rushing.”
Tyler ground his back teeth. The same argument about Dub going to Houston had happened at least twelve times in the past five days. It started every morning over breakfast. If not for Karly’s calming presence he was sure it would have been worse.
This would be a perfect time for his dad to look at retirement. No way should he be getting back on a horse. “John, I took four weeks off work. Do you think I’ll need more?” He looked across the table at his father. Dad did appear a bit stronger this morning, but he could barely feed himself. “Maybe I could switch to domestic flights and stay here in between trips.”
Dub’s scowl deepened. “I...I’m fine. Karly and Bryce are gr...good. You do not need to stay.”
Tyler glanced at Karly, who had joined them at the table. But her innocent appearance didn’t mean he’d lost his reservations about her being in complete control of his dad and the house accounts.
When he’d asked Sheriff Johnson about getting a background check done, everyone had seemed offended that he would question Karly’s integrity. Everyone liked her and defended her. There was some unwritten rule about saying anything bad about her. But she’d be the perfect con artist if she wanted to make easy money.
Even worse, Adrian and John had already pulled him aside at different times and warned him about messing with her, as if they believed the rumors from his high school days. They both knew him better. At least, he’d thought they did.
Tyler pulled his attention back to his dad. Where in the argument were they? Oh, yeah. He sighed. It was time to drop the R word. “It’s not about me, Dad. What about retirement? Maybe this is a good time to evaluate the ranch and how to go forward.”
“Ret...ret...ugh. The ranch? What do you mean, Ty?” A heavy frown pulled on his dad’s brow.
Karly stood up. “Excuse us. We need to get ready for the day. Come on, Bryce.”
“Yes, ma’am.” As Karly’s son left the room, each of the men said goodbye to him,
With them gone, Tyler took a deep breath and went back to the conversation. “Dad, we have to be realistic. What if you have another stroke? We could use this time to look at the ranch’s future. I have no interest in living here or being burdened with the running of a ranch this size. You need to focus on your health.”
“Well, if that’s the way you feel, it’s good I gave John...the power of attorney.” His dad glared at him. “John has final say on any decisions, and I’m leaving his girls the ranch.”
Tyler couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move his arms.
He’d never seen this coming—to be cut out of the will. Someone had reached into his chest and twisted all his internal organs. “You really hate me that much?”
His dad sat back, shaking his head. “Nothin’ to do with that. You would sell the ranch the minute I couldn’t stop you.”
“But I’m your son. You already gave the old ranch house to him.” He flung a hand at John. “He’s marrying Lorrie Ann Ortega.” He looked over at John, the perfect son Dub hadn’t been given by birth. He didn’t appear any happier about that news than Tyler. “Did you know?”
John shook his head. “I knew he gave me power of attorney in case he got worse and couldn’t make decisions, but I didn’t know about the ranch. Dub, I don’t think this is a good idea.”
“It’s good.” He looked back at Tyler. “Son, you didn’t want to ranch or anything to do with the horses after you destroyed your mare.” He paused and took some deep breaths. “Carol loved this ranch. She wanted her chil...kids to grow up here.” Another pause. “She had de...de...was moving home when she died.”
&
nbsp; “What?” He turned back to John. “You had decided to move here before Carol’s accident?”
John’s face lost all color. He ignored Tyler, his gaze locked on Dub’s. “You knew she was leaving me?”
Tyler’s world shifted under his feet. “Carol was divorcing John?” He turned to his father. “And you still gave him Granddad’s house.” He wanted to hit something or someone. Fists clenched, he stood, causing the chair to scrape across the floor. He paced to the far end of the kitchen and back. Carol had been more than his sister. They’d been best friends. Or so he’d thought. All the anger from losing her swelled and pushed at his head, threatening to break him.
“She was leaving you, and had never even called me?” When had they grown so far apart?
“Tyler.”
He ignored John. Moving to the pantry door, he thought about taking off. Going to the airport and never looking back.
John moved in front of him, trying to make eye contact. Tyler bit down hard until his jaw hurt. He wanted to hit John. Fists thrust into his pockets, he turned away from the pastor. A man that had hurt his sister. Tyler waited for a few seconds before facing him again. “What did you do to her? Why was she leaving you? She loved you so much.”
John ran his hand over his face. “My music career had taken over. I’d lost focus. She was setting me straight.” He took a step closer. “Tyler, your grandparents’ house belongs to the girls, your nieces, not me.”
That didn’t help. Blood pounded through Tyler’s veins, slamming into his ears. “How can you do it? How can you live knowing you hurt her?”
“I lived with the guilt for over five years. Why her and not me? She was the better parent, the better partner, the better everything. I don’t understand, but I have faith that we are all held in the hands of God.”
“You don’t deserve to be happy.” His legs felt numb. “She’s gone, and now you’re guilt-free and ready to move on and love again.” Tyler slammed his clenched fist into his own chest. “My sister is still dead.”
“Ty, there is a part of my heart that will always belong to Carol. She will forever be a huge part of my life, of the man I am today. I can’t park my car there. She is the mother of our girls. I have to move forward for the sake of Rachel and Celeste if nothing else. To live out the purpose God has for me.” His voice dropped. “Why did Carol die so young?” Sadness masked his face. “In this lifetime we’ll never understand, but I have faith that God is in control of all our days.”
All Tyler wanted to do was scream at the unfairness of it all and tackle John. Yeah, take him to the ground in a good old-fashioned fistfight, just like he did back in high school when he got mad. The small part of his rational brain thought to keep him from making the situation worse. The last thing he needed to do was take down the town’s beloved pastor.
“Boy, settle down. She wasn’t divorcing him.” Dub tried to stand.
John rushed to his side. “Dub, it’s okay. Tyler just got some shocking news.”
“She was coming to the ranch...to wait for him.” He looked at his son-in-law, grief and love embedded in every line on his face. “She didn’t know what to do. I’m so sorry. I told her to come home...and you would follow. It’s all my fault.”
“No, we all make our own choices.” John patted Dub’s hand, a sad smile on his face. “I did follow her immediately. You never said anything, so I didn’t think anyone knew. But this isn’t about me. Tyler’s upset and needs—”
Dub took his eyes off the perfect son and turned back to Tyler. “Those are Carol’s babies, your nieces. They have every right to live on this land. It’s what she wanted. As far as I’m concerned, they’ll inherit the whole thing.” Hard coughs rattled Dub’s chest.
Fear squeezed Tyler’s lungs. With a new urgency, he moved to the other side of his father, kneeling. He laid his hand on the old rancher’s back. “Dad, I’m sorry. I promised myself I wouldn’t get in a fight with you.” He tried to laugh. It sounded weak even to his own ears. “Just relax.”
“Death doesn’t scare me, boy. At this point I have more people I love in heaven than I do here on earth. I’m not going to stop living out of fear of dying.”
“Thanks, Dad. That makes me feel better.” With that bit of sarcasm, Tyler sat back on his heels and pressed the palm of his hand against his forehead. Pushing his hair back with his fingers, he looked at his dad, trying to figure out where he went wrong. How had they ended up hurting each other again?
The wretched ranch. To him it was a heavy stone, too full of memories, but to his dad it was everything.
“Now, see, that’s the problem, son. You are too sensitive. I love you. You just don’t need me anymore.” One last weak cough, and then he turned to John. “Would you mind getting my Bible? It’s by my bedside.”
With a warning glance at Tyler, John left the room. That hurt. What did he think he was going to do, start yelling again?
“Son, you’re not alone. You have John and the girls.”
How did he tell his dad it hurt too much to be around the girls? It hurt to be around the barn and remember all the stupid things he couldn’t undo or change.
“They need to know their uncle. You have memories of their mom no one else can share with them.”
Tyler bit his lips. His chest burned. Managing a nod, he started to stand. He needed to get away and breathe. He had been so busy at the ranch he hadn’t even gone to the airport. “I need to go check the airplane for damage.”
“Damage?”
With a groan Tyler hung his head. He hadn’t told his dad about his spectacular arrival.
“With the storm, some cattle were loose on the county airport and I couldn’t land on the airstrip. The upper level pressure was coming in too fast. I was shooting for the Kirkpatrick pasture, but Karly was on the road and the airplane coming in low scared her.” He took a breath. “Anyway, she panicked, ran off the road and I ended up in Henry’s fence.”
“Her car?”
“It got stuck but it’s good. She’s the one who brought me here.”
“The fence?”
“I called Henry and told him. I already got the supplies ordered at Bergmann’s Lumber.”
“Karly is a real nice girl. She got in some trouble with that youngest Havender boy, but she’s always volunteering at the church. Just like your mother and Carol.”
He sat and narrowed his eyes. “Dad, please tell me you’re not trying to set me up. She’s a single mother.”
“She’s a hardworking one that will do anything for her son. She has a strong faith in the Lord. Family is im-im...key to her, and she told me she always dreamed of living in the country being part of a com...small town.”
“So she reminds you of Mom and Carol. Does that make her girlfriend material?”
Dub sighed the heavy what-am-I-going-to-do-with-you kind of sigh. “It makes her a life kind of girl.”
“Really, Dad? You don’t think I’m responsible enough to make decisions about the ranch, but you want me to go out with this perfect female with a child?”
“You are a good man, Ty. You just need—”
“To grow up and find a good Christian woman.” He finished his father’s often-said words.
“You are the last Childress.” Dub slammed his fist on the tabletop. “I want to see you married with children before I die. I need to let your mom know you’ll be fine.”
“Emotional blackmail. Nice, Dad.” He sighed, standing and looking out the window. From there, he could see the barns. Adrian had one of the yearlings in the round pen. “You have never liked any of my girlfriends.”
“I don’t think you liked any of your girlfriends. You never dated anyone of them longer than three months.”
“I don’t find Ms. Karly attractive. I don’t want to date her. I definitely don’t want to marry
her. I’m not even sure I trust her to be working here, let alone live in the house.”
A noise at the entryway caused him to turn. He closed his eyes and suppressed a groan.
John and Karly stood there. Her mouth was slightly opened, and with her dark hair in a ponytail he could see the tops of her ears turning red. John had one eyebrow raised as if to say, I told you to behave.
Karly gave Dub a stiff smile, refusing to look at Tyler. “We just got off the phone with the therapist.” She pointed to John. “They called to tell me they needed to move your visit to the morning.” She moved next to Dub. “I told them that was fine. We’d be here.”
Tyler hated it when his temper got the best of him, which tended to only happen around dear Dad. Now he had to apologize. Would it be too immature of him to blame his father?
He snorted at his own thought. Turning to Karly, he found her looking at him with hurt in her eyes.
He gave her his best smile. “Are you ready to go to town?” She moved to help his father, acting as if she didn’t hear him.
He was fascinated by the tenderness and strength in her every move. How did he apologize without telling her the truth? There was no way he could tell her she was the kind of beautiful that was real. The kind a man imagined seeing every morning. He couldn’t go there. It was too dangerous.
Really, she was too attractive and real for his peace of mind.
He didn’t want to see Karly as a woman he could date. She needed a man that wanted to stay in one place and be part of this tiny, nosy community. Or else she was just like all the other women he’d dated—and it came down to how much he was worth moneywise. He wasn’t staying. From the time he was eighteen, all he’d dreamed about was leaving. Why did his father insist he should marry a girl that wanted to live here when all he wanted was to be somewhere else? His father didn’t get him; he hadn’t in over ten years. The old man was crazy.
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