“What did he say?” Gabe prodded.
Malone hesitated for a moment. “It was something like you just said. And I think it was about five years ago. I remember that because it was when his memory was starting to go. A lot of the time he seemed stuck in the past.”
“What was it?” Gabe said again.
“I remember him going on and on about ‘the prettiest little girl in the world.’” He looked from Erica to Gabe. “And he said a name. It wasn’t his wife, Cora. So I thought it might be an old girlfriend.”
“Was the name Winona?” Erica asked.
“Nope.” Malone shook his head.
“But it was someone from his past.” There was excitement in Gabe’s voice. “What if he wasn’t talking about a woman? What if it was about his daughter? Beatrix?”
Malone thought for a moment. “Nope. That wasn’t the name he said.”
“Are you sure?” Gabe pushed.
“Yeah.” Malone looked apologetic and frustrated with himself. “I just can’t recollect what the name was.” He tapped his forehead. “It’s right there, but I can’t grab onto it. I’m sorry, Gabe.”
“Don’t beat yourself up over it,” her brother said. “Sometimes trying too hard just pushes things even more out of reach. It’ll come to you.”
“Hope so. Sure would like to help find her.”
“I know you would.”
Although Gabe did his best to hide it, Erica could hear the disappointment in her brother’s voice. Like Amanda said, without another clue of some kind, the search for their great-grandfather’s daughter was going nowhere. An Abernathy was out there and they all wanted to find her. For just a moment, Malone’s comment stirred hope that things would break their way. A name from the past that would unlock a mystery.
Then, just as fast, that hope was gone because there was no way to force a memory. Gramps too had some memories of his lost baby girl buried so deep in his mind they couldn’t be reached, and it was frustrating.
Memories were funny and precious and bittersweet. Pretty soon Morgan would be only a memory. When she was as old as Gramps, would she remember him? After she gave birth, the time she spent with him would become the past. That was tearing her apart. She couldn’t wait to say hello to her baby, but her heart didn’t want to say goodbye to Morgan.
* * *
Morgan sat in the passenger seat of his father’s old truck. They’d been mending fences at the outermost boundary of Dalton’s Grange, and it was a big piece of land. That meant a long ride back with Neal Dalton, the last man on earth he wanted to spend time with. No matter how he grudgingly respected the man’s work ethic and his dedication to a physically demanding job, Morgan couldn’t forgive the hurt to his mother. And the longer the ride went on, the more awkward the silence became. He was determined not to break it.
But apparently his father had no problem doing it. “Sure is a pretty day. There’s nothing like a clear Montana sky. A little cold, though. Winter is coming, so it’s a good thing we got this job done while the weather is holding.”
Morgan thought about not responding, then changed his mind. But one word was all the man would get. “Yeah.”
Neal glanced over, then back to the road in front of him. “Your mom said Erica’s baby shower was really nice. She had a good time. Thanks for picking her up.”
“No problem.” Unless you counted Gabe Abernathy and his suspicious attitude. The guy was way off base. Morgan didn’t want anything from her. Not really. Nothing except to spend time with her. Picking up his mom from the baby shower was one way to make that happen.
His father’s even-tempered disposition was starting to make Morgan feel like a complete jerk. He could throw the man a bone. “How’s your cold? Any better?”
“Yeah. Your mother insisted I take it easy and filled me with liquids and chicken soup. Cold and flu don’t stand a chance against her soup. And her, for that matter.”
Morgan didn’t want to smile but he couldn’t help it. “That’s Mom.”
“Yeah.” The man looked over again, just for a moment. “Appreciate you and your brothers picking up the slack for me around the ranch.”
“No big deal. Like you said—no one argues with Mom.”
After that, neither of them seemed to have anything to say. Morgan just wished this ride would be over.
“How’s Erica?” Neal finally said. “Baby’s due pretty soon, right?”
“A couple weeks.” Morgan smiled to himself just thinking about her. She grumbled about growing big as a house, but he thought she got more beautiful every day.
“She sure is a pretty young woman,” his dad said. It was like the man could read minds. “Your mom sure likes her. Said Erica’s mom is real nice, too.”
“Yeah.”
His father waited for more, and when it didn’t come he finally said, “Sure is nice of you to support her and be her labor coach. It would be hard to go through that alone.”
“I suppose.”
“No supposing about it. Bringing a baby into this world is pretty scary.” His father maneuvered the truck around a big rut in the unpaved road, then they continued to bounce along. “I remember when your mom was first pregnant. You weren’t planned. And I have a confession to make.”
“Another one?” Morgan said sarcastically.
Neal ignored that. “I wasn’t sure I wanted to be a father. Didn’t really know whether I wanted kids.”
Wasn’t that just great? Morgan took after his unfaithful father. “So why’d you have four more then?”
“Because of you.” His dad looked over, then back to the road.
“What about me?”
“You were the first and I worried about everything. Not your mother. She had a knack for knowing when to worry and when to let it go.” He laughed and shook his head. “And she loved being pregnant. Was never healthier or more beautiful, but that didn’t stop me from being anxious about her. Anything could happen. And she was...”
In spite of himself, Morgan was pulled into this walk down memory lane now. “Mom was what?”
“Everything,” Neal said reverently. “She’s my whole world and she gave up a successful career and a different kind of life because she loved me. The isolation of ranch life was a lot to ask of her.”
“But she did it.”
“And I always felt the pressure to give her whatever she wanted so she didn’t feel like she made the wrong choice and wasted her life on me.”
“And she wanted a baby,” Morgan prompted.
“Yeah.”
“And you didn’t?” he challenged.
“I won’t lie. I wasn’t fully on board.” He suddenly grinned at a memory. “Not until I saw you for the first time.” He glanced over, probably to see how Morgan reacted to that statement. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you were not all that good-looking right after you were born. Neither were your brothers. All red and scrunchy. But I had a son. And from that day on the feelings were, are—”
“What?” Morgan asked.
“Bigger than anything I’d ever felt in my life. I loved your mom, but the son we made was—” Hands on the steering wheel, he shrugged. “I can’t even describe the love. Maybe as big as this Montana sky.”
Morgan looked out the truck window at the blue that seemed to go on forever. That was a lot of love. One of his earliest memories was this man putting him on a horse, patiently teaching him to ride it. Letting Morgan follow him around the ranch. He never raised his voice, even when his brothers came along one by one and the chaos multiplied.
Morgan had a clear memory of resenting Holt for stealing his own time with their father. As the oldest he was expected to share his mother, but he wasn’t in the mood to graciously share his father, the man he hero-worshiped.
“If you love mom so much, how could you cheat on her?”
His father pr
essed his lips together and shook his head slightly. “I messed up big-time. It wasn’t a pattern, but happened more than once.”
“Slipups,” Morgan said angrily.
“Too much liquor was always involved.”
“That’s just an excuse. The least you can do is be honest and take responsibility.”
“Maybe you can’t understand, but I have to say this. I was always stressed about money. Ranch operations depended on cash flow. I had doctor bills for my family. The price of beef went up and down. Too much rain or snow could affect the cost of hay, loss of livestock. It was all about keeping the ranch going for you boys and your mom. Sometimes the strain got to be too much. Drink took the edge off.”
Morgan remembered several times when his mom had tried to hide that she’d been crying. The man he’d looked up to above all others had broken his mother’s heart. Morgan had been hurt and angry the first time. A couple of slipups later and his anger had boiled over.
He’d been the first to leave the family ranch and hire on with another outfit. One by one his brothers all followed him. And for the same reason. They couldn’t stand to see their mother with the man who treated her that way.
“Tell me one thing,” he snapped.
“Okay.” There was no hesitation in his father’s voice.
“Why did she forgive you? Why in hell did she take you back?”
“You’ll have to ask her that, son. But I thank God every day that she did.” Neal let out a long breath. “The money I won to buy this ranch was the second-luckiest thing that ever happened to me.”
“What was the first?”
“The day the minister asked your mother if she would honor and cherish me and she said, ‘I will.’” He looked over for a moment. “The day I won that money I vowed it would be a new beginning for Deborah and me and our boys. I could finally give the family I love the lifestyle they deserve.”
Morgan stared at the man’s profile. “You do know that my brothers and I are only here to work the ranch because Mom asked us to, right? That, and we needed to make sure she’d be okay.”
“I’m aware.” There was sadness and acknowledgment of the fault in his tone. “I know none of you trust me.”
“How can we?”
He made the turn onto the road that led to the barn. “I don’t expect you to believe this after what I’ve done, but I love her, too. I’d give my life for hers. I’m going to make it up to her.”
“You’re right. I don’t believe you.” He huffed out a breath. “I used to look up to you and you let me down. Tell me why in the name of God I should believe what you’re saying now.”
“I don’t drink anymore, Morgan. Not at all.” He glanced over and the resolve in his eyes was unmistakable. “Marriage has its ups and downs, but if a man and woman really love each other, they can work through tough times and make it to the other side. Stronger than before. I swear on everything I hold dear that I only have eyes for your mother. I’m so grateful that she loves me enough to give me another chance. And, son, I hope you and your brothers will follow her lead and do the same.”
His father drove up to the barn and parked. “I’m just asking you to keep an open mind.”
When he got out of the truck Morgan’s mind wasn’t necessarily open but it was sure spinning. As he helped unload the tools, he thought back to the day he’d come to Dalton’s Grange. From that day on he couldn’t recall seeing his father consume alcohol. Because of his anger and resentment, he’d never noticed before.
He’d never seen his mother happier, and more than once she’d told them this was the best time of her life. Having her sons nearby was such a blessing. And his parents were like newlyweds, always touching, exchanging secret looks, kissing like teenagers when they thought no one was watching. And now this. His dad had come out and asked for another chance.
Morgan remembered Erica saying more than once that they both should give their families an opportunity to patch up relationships. The night of the baby shower, she’d told him she and her mom were on the mend.
It occurred to him that everyone made mistakes, but attempting to right those wrongs was the foundation of character. Maybe Erica was right about second chances.
When the truck bed was empty, Morgan lifted the tailgate and made sure the thing was securely latched. His father stood beside him and their gazes met. There was no mistaking the sincerity in the other man’s eyes.
Morgan stuck out his hand. “I believe you, Dad.”
Neal’s mouth trembled just for a second, and there was a suspicious moisture in his eyes. Then he shook hands and pulled Morgan in for a hug. “Thank you, son.”
Morgan nodded and felt his own throat tighten as a weight lifted from him. Holt seemed at peace with their father, but the rest of his brothers would have to figure out where they stood with him. Morgan wouldn’t interfere or influence them one way or the other. But ending hostilities was the right decision for him.
And he had Erica to thank for putting cracks in his attitude in order to give understanding and common sense a way in.
It was a relief to know the man loved being a dad and was a good one. That meant there was hope for Morgan. If—
He pulled up short. For such a small word, if had awfully big consequences. Did he want complications? A baby? All he knew for sure was that he couldn’t shake the feeling of wanting Erica, and he had no idea what he was going to do about it.
Chapter Thirteen
Erica checked her appearance in the mirror over the bathroom sink and nodded with satisfaction. Her hair was in a ponytail for tonight’s childbirth class in which they would be practicing breathing and relaxation techniques. She hadn’t seen Morgan since that brief, unsatisfying encounter after her baby shower. There had been barely enough time to say hello, and she wanted more.
She was very aware of the time limit on their involvement and wasn’t trying to fight it anymore. Trying to turn off her feelings to avoid emotional messiness was pointless. After the baby was born, she would have Morgan withdrawal and would fall back on her memories, but for now she was going to enjoy the time she had left with him.
After applying lipstick, she headed downstairs and found her mom in the great room reading. It was cozy with a fire crackling, and she had a few minutes to visit before leaving to pick up Morgan. “Hey, Mama. Is that a good book?”
“Yes.” She marked her place, then set the book aside. “You’re going to class?”
“Pretty soon.” It was such a relief to be on good terms again. Up front and honest about her situation. If only she could talk to her dad, too. “I’m picking up Morgan.”
Angela nodded. “I invited his mother to join the Bronco Valley Assistance League and she seemed eager to be a part of it. I liked her very much.”
“I do, too. And I like Mel, too. I talk to her almost every day. She’s becoming the sister I never had. My brother chose wisely.”
“I feel the same way. And they’re meant to be together, although when they first met there was tension, not all of it the good kind.” Her mom smiled. “But they worked it out.”
“I’m glad.” Erica was so happy for her brother, but also wistful for herself. It was possible that she and Morgan were meant to be together, but her pregnancy made that too big a hurdle.
“You and Morgan seem to get along pretty well. And you have from the very beginning, I hear.” Her mother didn’t look upset.
“We definitely clicked,” Erica admitted. “As friends. We’re not like Mel and Gabe. Not romantic.”
“Really?” There was a gleam of speculation in her mother’s eyes. “You’re sure?”
“Yes. Completely.” Because he had doubts about being a father. Her family had doubts about him. “And you don’t trust him. Why would you think there’s anything serious between us?”
“Because of Deborah Dalton. I got a sense about her t
hat she’s a good person who raised her boys to be good men. She and I were talking. She knows her son and I know my daughter.” Angela shrugged. “We were just playing ‘what if.’”
“You know Morgan had words with Gabe that night,” Erica said.
“He’s protective. And if I hadn’t met Deborah, I might agree with your brother’s doubts. She’s good people. I’d be really surprised if Morgan isn’t, too.”
“Well, he’s certainly been a good friend to me.” She looked at her watch. “I have to go or I’ll be late for class.”
“Can’t have that.”
“See you later.” She leaned over to kiss her mother’s cheek, then straightened and headed for the door.
After driving to Dalton’s Grange, she saw Morgan waiting for her outside his house. He walked over to the driver’s side of the SUV and she opened the window.
“I know you insisted on picking me up, but at least let me drive from here.”
“What? You don’t trust me?”
“That’s not it at all.” He leaned over and rested his arms on the doorframe, his face not far from hers. “It seems to me that my job in all this is to take care of you. Driving you there checks that box.”
“Okay.” She turned off the engine and stepped out. “I’m not too stubborn to accept a generous offer of assistance.”
Especially when the man offering it tugged at her heart in a way no man ever had. Telling him no just might not be possible. She took his outstretched hand and walked to the passenger side of her car. He held the door open for her to get in.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Don’t mention it.” He closed her door and walked around the front of the vehicle, then got in behind the wheel. “And we’re off.”
Erica had to admit it was nice to sit back and be driven. She could get used to this. As soon as that thought popped into her head, she pushed it away. She couldn’t let herself think about getting used to anything with Morgan.
“So, what’s new?” he asked.
“You mean since my brother practically took your head off?” She looked over at him, and the dashboard lights revealed the humor on his face.
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