At the next stoplight, Quinn scrolled through his call log for the assistant warden’s number. Finding it, he placed a call just as traffic started to move and was eventually put through to an automated voice-mail system. He started out thanking the man for the opportunity, said he’d be leaving Mustang Valley and wouldn’t be able to take the position, then ended by wishing the man luck in his search for another candidate and cattle ranch.
Leaving Mustang Valley? Until Quinn spoke the words out loud, he hadn’t realized he’d made the decision to return home to his parents and grandparents. His grandfather had been after one of his grandchildren to come work for him and take over the family horse-breeding business. It was probably the best—and only—opportunity Quinn would have available.
At the next stoplight, he placed a call to his grandfather, who was delighted to hear from him and even more delighted to learn Quinn was thinking of coming home.
There was another person he needed to tell, and she deserved more than a phone brush off.
Summer answered on the second ring with a breathless, “Hi. How are you?”
“I’ve been better.” Why lie?
“Jenny and Corrine get off okay?”
“They got off. I wouldn’t say it went okay.” He paused and cleared his throat. “If the offer’s still open, I’d like to come over.”
“Of course. When?”
“Seven?”
“You want dinner? We’re having grilled cheese sandwiches. I’m afraid it’s not much—”
“No dinner.” In truth, he wasn’t hungry. “Thanks, though.”
“Should I take Teddy to the sitter’s?”
“No.” Quinn wanted to see the boy. It might be the last time.
“All right. Seven o’clock.”
The hope in her voice was obvious even with a mediocre cell phone connection. Quinn hated hurting her, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized he had no choice.
* * *
SUMMER HADN’T ADMITTED to herself how nervous she was about Quinn coming over until the doorbell rang. She jerked in response, which was silly since he was right on time and she’d been watching the clock for the past hour.
Teddy beat her to the front door. She’d told him Quinn was coming but wasn’t entirely sure he’d understood. Apparently, he had.
Opening the door, Teddy exclaimed, “Man,” and hurled himself at Quinn.
“Hi, son. How you doing?” Quinn raised his arms, allowing Teddy to embrace his waist. “I missed you, too.” Lowering a hand, he patted Teddy’s head.
The affection in his voice touched Summer, and the lump already lodged in her throat doubled in size. Her son wasn’t just fond of Quinn, he quite possibly loved him.
He might not be the only one. Summer was quite convinced she, too, had fallen for Quinn—which strengthened her determination to stand by him through thick and thin.
“Come in,” she said, waiting for her hug. He didn’t make a move toward her, not even when Teddy released him. After an awkward moment, she asked, “Can I get you something? A cold drink?”
“Water’s fine.”
They made their way to the kitchen. Summer had hurriedly cleaned the dishes after their grilled cheese dinner. She was about to offer Quinn a seat on the couch in the family room when he headed for the table and sat. Teddy stood behind him, his fingers hovering an inch above Quinn’s shoulder.
Summer set a glass of ice water down in front of him before taking the adjacent chair. “Tell me what went wrong at the airport. You sounded down on the phone.”
“Jenny gave me a hard time. First, she tried to refuse me future visitations with Corrine. Then she threatened to disappear again.”
“No! She can’t do that.”
“Honestly, I doubt she will. Jenny’s like that, prone to impulsiveness. Just look at her history.”
“Except she’s taken drastic measures. Once, at least,” Summer pointed out. “You lost Corrine for three years.”
“She has a good job in Seaside and a boyfriend she seems pretty attached to.”
“He could go with her.” She covered Quinn’s hand with her own. “I don’t mean to be negative, but I’ve seen the most unlikely parents disappear when under extreme stress.”
“I made it clear to Jenny I’d take legal action if she did anything rash.”
He went on to describe in detail his trip to the airport. Summer couldn’t believe what she was hearing. From what Quinn said, Jenny hadn’t changed one bit since she last saw him. Obviously, she was a good mother; one had only to look at Corrine to know that. But Jenny possessed a selfish streak a mile wide.
“Are you going to talk to Marty?” Summer asked.
“Tomorrow. First thing.”
“I wouldn’t dream of interfering, but I’d be glad to be a witness on your behalf.”
“Let’s see. Jenny said she was going to have her attorney investigate. I’d like to get a jump on him and start our own investigation.”
“Good idea. I’ll help any way I can.”
He nodded. “Thanks.”
She had the distinct impression there was more on his mind. Quinn confirmed her suspicions with his next words.
“Summer. We need to talk.”
“Oh.” She didn’t like the ominous note in his voice and hated the panic in hers. “What’s wrong?”
“I wanted to tell you right away. As soon as I made the decision. I owe you that much.”
“You’re leaving,” she stated flatly.
“How did you know?”
“Déjà vu.” His declaration sounded identical to the one Hal had made when he announced he’d filed for divorce.
“I have no choice,” Quinn said. “The ranch depends on the money from the sanctuary and therapy program. Without it, they’ll go broke.”
“The parents won’t pull their kids from the program. It’s too valuable to them. Every single one has made progress.”
“I think they will.”
Summer paused and considered what to say next. She wanted—needed—Quinn to stay, yet she had no right to ask. One night together was hardly enough to base a future on and make a commitment.
Except, for Summer, it had been.
“I can’t get a job anywhere in Mustang Valley,” he said. “No one will hire me with a record.”
“You have a job at Dos Estrellas.”
“That pays only room and board. I need a regular salary if I hope to share custody of Corrine.”
He was right. Nonetheless, Summer continued to try to sway him. “What about Marty? Will he represent you pro bono if you move?”
“I don’t know. I’ll ask him tomorrow.”
“I’m sure Cole and Josh will want you to stay. They—”
“Summer, please. I know this is hard on you. It’s hard on me, too. We’ve barely started, and to end things so quickly...”
The sincerity in his voice was her undoing. She couldn’t answer him for fear of breaking down.
Teddy had abandoned Quinn’s side and was now beneath the table at his feet. He sat cross-legged, rocking back and forth. He’d clearly understood enough of the conversation to realize Quinn’s intentions.
Summer ached for her son and for Quinn. Mostly, she ached for herself.
If only she’d told Cara and Quinn about the petition when she had the chance. Did Quinn secretly blame her for everything? Of course he did. He should.
“Will you ever come back to Mustang Valley?” she asked softly.
“Eventually. I’m not sure when and how often.”
She averted her gaze, worried he’d notice the hurt in her eyes. “What if you postponed leaving for a while?”
“We’d just be delaying the inevitable. I couldn’t do that to you.�
��
“I’m willing to take the chance.”
“There’s more than us to consider,” he said.
“You mean Hal?” Summer pulled Quinn aside, out of Teddy’s hearing range. “Don’t worry, he’s a lot of bark and little bite.”
Quinn shook his head. “I disagree. I saw him today. Twice. He has a lot of bite.”
“Whatever he says, he doesn’t want Teddy. You saw, he brought him home from the sitter’s after less than an hour together.”
“Doesn’t mean he won’t protect Teddy or cause trouble if I stick around. Deep down, he loves Teddy.”
“He sure has a lousy way of showing it.”
“Maybe he doesn’t know how.” Quinn spoke slowly. “You could help him.”
Summer sat up. “You think I haven’t tried?”
“Try again. Teddy’s not a battleground. He deserves the love and support of both his parents.”
My God! Could Quinn be right? Had Summer contributed to Teddy and Hal’s strained relationship? Worse, was she the cause of it? The more she considered the possibility, the more she realized it was true.
Shame filled her, and regret. “I’ve behaved atrociously.”
“You love Teddy. You’ve always tried to do what was best for him.”
“It’s not fair.” She stared imploringly at Quinn. “Not to you, not to me and especially not to Teddy. Here I’ve finally found a guy who not only cares for me, he cares for my son. It’s a minor miracle. Only I lose him after a few weeks because a group of people, Hal included, are narrow-minded and judgmental.”
“Opinions that strong are nearly impossible to change, Summer. Trust me.”
“They shouldn’t be. I’ve fought this kind of prejudice the last four years, trying to get people to accept my son and his disability. I never thought I’d see a time when the same prejudice was directed at an innocent man.”
“Your naivety is charming.”
“And you’re being sarcastic.”
“A little.”
She rubbed her temples, wondering if there was some way she could intone a magic spell and reverse this day. Start all over, fresh. “Where are you going? Bishop?”
“Yeah. It’s about a day’s drive from Seaside. Close enough I can visit Corrine on weekends or Jenny can drive her down to see me and my family. My grandfather will give me a job wrangling horses until I either find something else or he convinces me to take over the business.”
“That’ll be nice for your parents. Having you home and being able to see Corrine.” Summer just wished it wasn’t so far from Mustang Valley.
He stood then, and, taking her hand, pulled her to her feet. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her close and rested his chin on her head. “My daughter and my cousins’ well-being are the only reasons I’d leave you and Teddy. I swear it’s true.”
“I believe you.” Summer struggled not to cry. “I won’t stop you from going even though every part of me is screaming to do just that. Dammit,” she muttered when the tears started to fall.
He pressed his lips to her hair. “Let’s have none of that.”
“When are you leaving?”
“Soon. The end of the week.”
Five days. Surviving until Friday would be pure torture.
She clung to him, desperate because this was in all likelihood the last time. Even if she suggested they get together before Quinn left, he wouldn’t agree.
“It’s time.” He put her gently aside.
She dabbed at her eyes with the back of her hand.
“I’d like to say goodbye to Teddy.”
“Sure.” Summer’s chest constricted.
Quinn knelt down beside the table. “Hi, Teddy. You mind coming out from there?”
He stopped rocking and shook his head, his mouth set in a determined frown.
“I’d like to talk to you before I go.”
“Staaa,” Teddy blurted.
Summer covered her face with her hands, holding back the sobs. Her son hadn’t taken to someone like he had Quinn since a young friend in his preschool class. Their emotional parting when Teddy had withdrawn in order to attend the learning center had also broken her heart.
“I can’t, son.” Quinn’s voice cracked.
“Why?”
Summer gasped softly. Teddy was having a real conversation with Quinn. She also couldn’t say that had happened since preschool.
So much improvement thanks to Quinn. Literally in the span of a month, he’d accomplished more with Teddy than all the therapists and teachers put together. How could fate be so kind to her in one way and so cruel in the other?
“It’s hard to explain,” Quinn said. “My daughter needs me. You remember Corrine? Well, I love her, like your mom loves you. I’m going to California so I can be closer to her and help raise her. Do you understand?”
He said nothing about the shameful treatment he’d received at the hands of the students’ parents and Hal. That was so like Quinn.
Summer could literally feel her future hopes and dreams shattering, and the pain was indescribable. Reaching for the nearest handhold, in this case a chair back, she steadied herself.
All at once, Teddy crawled out from under the table. Quinn stood and drew the boy to his side, gathering him in a fierce hug.
“You take care of your mother, hear me?”
Teddy nodded.
“If I call, will you talk to me?”
Another nod.
“All right. Good, then.” Quinn swallowed, and Summer thought there might be tears in his eyes.
She walked him to the door. She wanted to hurl herself at him like Teddy had done earlier. Somehow she managed to restrain herself.
“Do you really think we’ll see each other again?” she asked.
“I’m counting on it.”
“Promise me you’ll call.”
“Yes. But that’s the only promise I’ll make.”
She should have been glad for his honesty. Silently, she begged him to lie to her. Tell her pretty stories about how they’d be together someday soon.
She sniffled. “Have a safe trip.”
“I...”
“Yes?”
“Goodbye, Summer.”
She watched him walk to his truck, parked beside the curb, his retreating form barely discernable in the dim glow of the solar yard lights.
Closing the door, she turned, her throat on fire, and came face-to-face with Teddy. He put his arms around her and laid his head on her tummy.
“Maw Maw.”
Summer’s knees nearly gave out. Thank goodness for the door.
Five years she’d been waiting for her son to willingly embrace her and express his love. Allow her to express her love in return.
It would have to be today.
Chapter Thirteen
Quinn rode out to the mustang sanctuary rather than drive. He wanted his last look of Dos Estrellas to be from the back of a horse, plodding easily along, rather than from the inside of a truck. He took his time, savoring every moment and every scene.
Mother Nature didn’t disappoint. Vivid blue skies overhead, lush green mountains rising majestically in the distance, and the sweet smell of desert flora on the breeze were just a few of her offerings. He would remember this day always and carry it with him, locked inside his heart. These past weeks at the ranch had been the happiest he’d felt since before his arrest.
Behind him, the buckskin mare followed, her hooves stirring up dust on the dirt road with each step. She’d come a long way since Quinn had plucked her from the herd, showing potential to become a dependable ranch horse or pleasure mount for some lucky individual.
Too bad her training would temporarily cease. Quinn was returning her to the san
ctuary until Cole had a break in his schedule and could pick up where Quinn left off, whenever that might be.
Both the borrowed gelding Quinn rode and the buckskin raised their heads and pricked their ears as the sanctuary came into sight. There weren’t any mustangs to greet them, but the horses must have sensed the herd wasn’t far off. Quinn figured on a few head showing up before he and the horses reached the gate.
The buckskin quickened her pace, her gaze riveted on the nearby rise. He’d yet to name her and thought maybe he should before he returned her to the sanctuary.
Lilac, he decided, choosing the same name Corrine had given her stuffed purple pony. Saying it out loud, he deemed the choice a good one.
Summer would have liked the name, too. He didn’t have to concentrate hard to hear her laugh or see her smile. She was never very far from his thoughts as it was.
Damn, he missed her. Acutely. With a powerful longing that would have knocked him flat if he hadn’t been riding.
There was no point dwelling on the past or punishing himself. Things happened for a reason, even if that reason wasn’t immediately apparent. He was leaving Mustang Valley in order for the therapy program and sanctuary to continue, so that all of his cousins’ hard work to restore Dos Estrellas these past ten months would not be wasted, and so he’d be closer to his daughter and be able to put the pieces of his life back together in some sort of meaningful order.
On a positive note, Jenny had called him yesterday and told him she was still planning on bringing Corrine to his parents’ in October. She didn’t apologize, not that he’d expected her to. But he swore he heard regret in her voice.
Neither had she mentioned the false accusations made against Quinn, though she must have heard the latest development. One of Marty’s legal interns had questioned the mother of the boy who claimed Quinn manhandled him, along with several other parents. While the boy stuck to his story and his mother stood by him, he’d apparently bragged to the other children he’d been playing with that day about beating up Nathan.
Eventually, the full story had emerged, and Marty reported it to Jenny’s attorney, including two statements from cooperative parents. The next day, Jenny had called Quinn.
It bothered him that she hadn’t believed him from the start. Sadly, it would probably always be this way, him having to prove himself at each and every turn and not just with Jenny. Even in Bishop, the town where he grew up, there would be people ready to think the worst of him.
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