“He’s already working his way back into your life. I’m not going to pick up the pieces again. If he says more than hi to the twins, I’m calling James.”
“I can give you his number if you need it.” Reid stood at the edge of the old green Suburban, a bottle of Big Red soda in his hand. “My parole officer is here tonight, so if you feel the need to talk to him about me, go ahead.”
Her father didn’t say a word, but if looks could kill, she’d be writing Reid’s obituary. She stepped between the men. “Hi, Reid.”
“I saw the girls at the concession stand. Figured you’d want to be around when I talked to them.” He turned to her father, head down. With a deep breath, he stood straighter and looked her father in the eye. “Mr. Bergmann, I know you have every reason to hate me and rightly so, but I want you to know that I’m not here to hurt Danica or the girls in any way. I do have amends to make, and I hope you believe me when I say that I am truly sorry.”
“It’s God’s place to forgive you, not mine. And keep those sunglasses on. Otherwise, people will start asking questions about your eye color.” With the lead in hand, her father took the pony to the other side of the trailer.
“Reid, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. He’s right.” He turned his face to the opposite side of the arena. “I saw them with Frito pies and Big Red.”
She checked Jingle’s hooves. “Big Red is their favorite. We don’t have soda in the house, so it’s a special treat once a week.” Moving to the gelding’s mane, she started braiding it. His neck was chest level to her.
After a moment of silence, she stopped and looked at him over the pony. She probably shouldn’t tell him this, but her mouth opened and... “Every time they get one, I think about you and your obsession with the drink. Strange, the things they inherit.”
“Do they like school?”
“They’re only in kindergarten. But they love school. They ask tons of questions and enjoy talking and being around people. Animals, too. They’re obsessed with animals, all kinds, even insects. The other day they found a spider in the house. Sammi was going to kill it, but they made my dad catch it and release it outside.”
He smiled at her, and his eyes sparkled. That’s the expression she lost her heart to, the same expression she had seen in her daughters. Turning away from him, she tried to think of something else to say.
The girls were dangerous to talk about. They were her weak spot. “How’s your mother doing? It had to be hard on her when you went to prison.” She needed to remind them both why he didn’t know his children. It was the consequence of his mistakes, his choices.
He’d always been worried about his mom, but Danica never got to meet her. She never thought about her as her children’s grandmother. She hadn’t even thought about his side of the family at all.
His hands in his pockets, Reid’s gaze locked on to some far-off place. Someplace she couldn’t see. “Reid?”
“Mom died my second year in.” His jaw popped.
The world went quiet as she focused on him. She stepped around the horse she had put between them, wanting to be closer. Wanting to wrap him in her arms. “Reid...” She stepped forward.
* * *
Reid looked at Danica as she moved toward him, but the sound of sweet giggles stole his attention away. The twins, his daughters, were running toward him. One of them had on a pink cowboy hat with matching boots and a glittering shirt. The other one wore a black hat to go with her dark purple bandana. They had cheesy Frito pies in hand, and their aunt Jackie carried a couple bottles of the cold drink he loved.
“Mr. Reid!”
“Hello.”
The girls greeted him with a smile. Standing behind them, Jackie glared. Her thoughts on him being here had been made perfectly clear.
A huge silver dually with a matching horse trailer pulled up behind them. With the engine cut off, Nikki jumped down from the passenger side, followed by her stepdaughter, Mia. The frown on her face made it clear he was not welcomed. “Oh, look, the whole family is here.”
Danica put her hand on Suzie’s shoulder. “Nikki.”
With a shake of her head, the oldest Bergmann sister scanned the area. “Where’s Sammi?”
Mr. Bergmann came from the other side of the trailer and shook Adrian’s hand. “Her horse was hyped up, so she’s running off his energy in the arena. Need any help unloading?”
Suzie shoved the last spoonful of chili into her mouth. “Can I go? I want to warm up Sunny.”
Lizzy shook her head. “Nothing is going to make him go faster.”
Suzie started arguing.
“Girls, stop it.” Jackie held up the bottles. “Do you want the rest of your soda?”
“Can you put it in the ice chest, please?” Suzie glared at her sister. “I want to save it for later.”
She moved to the palomino tied at the end of the trailer. Standing next to the big gelding, his daughter looked so small. Reid laid a hand on the thick neck. “This is your horse?”
Suzie nodded. “I wanted a faster horse, but Grandpa says I have to wait until I’m double digits. That’s a long time. Momma, can I ride now?”
“Be careful and stay on the railing.”
She unfastened the reins and looked at him. “Can you help me mount? I just need you to cup your hands so I can reach the stirrup.”
He steadied his breath. It didn’t mean anything. He was just the closest to Suzie and her horse.
Lizzy sat on the side step of the trailer, her Frito pie in her lap and her Big Red next to her. “If you rode a smaller horse, you could mount yourself.”
“I don’t want a baby’s horse.”
“Jingles is not for babies. He runs. He runs faster than Sunny. All he does is trot.”
“Yeah, but Jingles’s legs are so short he has a slower time.”
“Girls, stop it, or we can load the horses up and go home.”
“Yes, ma’am,” both girls mumbled.
Reid smiled as Suzie put her pink-booted foot in his cupped hands. With ease, she leaped into the saddle and adjusted the reins as she slipped the tip of her toes into the stirrups, heels down. She sat well in the saddle.
“Mr. Reid, do you ride?”
“I do. I rope, and I’ve been known to ride a bull or two.”
Danica smiled. “The first time I saw him, he was riding a bull.”
Lizzy’s eyes went wide. “The first time? Where was that?”
Reid looked at Danica, wondering if she’d meant to say something about their past. By the stiffness in her shoulders and slight panic and regret in her gaze, he assumed not.
Mr. Bergmann reappeared then, his long strides bringing him next to Lizzy. Quickly, he lifted her up over his head, causing her to giggle. He pressed his nose to hers. “Are we going to ride today or just sit around and talk?” The girls forgot their questions and cheered. Back on the ground, Lizzy mounted the shorter horse.
Suzie pulled back on her reins and moved the big gelding away from the trailer. “I’m going to be out there before you.”
“Girls, it’s not a race.” They ignored their mother.
With a kick to her horse, Suzie moved out into a trot. Her red hair bounced around her shoulders. “I’m going to beat you!” she yelled at her sister as Lizzy mounted her pony.
Danica stood with her hands on her hips. “Careful, girls, or the horses are going back into the trailer.”
Mia moved her horse past them. “I’ll watch them.”
Mr. Bergmann followed the three girls to the arena.
Danica turned away from Reid. “I can’t believe I said that. Why did I tell them I knew you before? Where was my brain?” She slammed a few straps of leather into a bag.
* * *
Danica frantically moved around, stuffing things in a large black bag. She was mad at herself.
Off to the side, Reid looked like he wanted to say something.
Jackie acted first, slamming the lid to the big silver ice chest. Standing, she crossed her arms and glared at Reid. “Since they were born, everyone makes comments about their eye color. Even to this day, when I take them somewhere, it is the first thing people see. If you’re serious about respecting Danica, and not forcing the issue, then you need to stay out of town and away from people that know the girls.”
Danica’s face tightened. She shut the back door of the Suburban and just stood there, looking at nothing. “Maybe it would be easier if I just told the girls.”
“No.” Reid and Jackie stared at each other, startled to find themselves in agreement.
He cleared his throat. “They would want to know where I’ve been. I can’t lie to them. I can’t tell them the truth, either.”
“So it’s about you being embarrassed.” Jackie leaned back against the trailer. “What about you just disappearing again? You’ve been here for a little over two weeks. Danica’s a grown woman and can make her own mistakes, but my nieces have big hearts. They haven’t learned to protect them yet. I’m not going to let you crush them just so you can play daddy for a little bit.”
“Enough.” Danica pushed her way between Reid and her sister. “I agree. The girls aren’t ready.” Her gaze jumped between the two of them. “For all the reasons you stated, and more. Jackie, I love you, but this isn’t your fight.”
“You’re thinking of taking him back, aren’t you? How can you still love him? After everything he did?”
“I don’t love him.” On the edge of yelling, she closed her eyes and swallowed.
She didn’t love him anymore. He knew that, but it still hurt to hear the words.
“This isn’t about me. I have to figure out what is best for Suzie and Lizzy. If you’ll excuse me, I’m here to watch my daughters ride.” Green eyes stared him down. “You have steers to take care of.”
She hoped the message was clear. Don’t join the family. He gave her a quick nod. “I’ll see you Monday at the sanctuary.”
Danica took her sister’s hand and headed to the arena.
* * *
After a few riders, the announcer called Suzie as the next rider. Reid went to the railing and pulled himself up to get a better look. He scanned the stands. Right up front, Danica sat with her father and two of her sisters. They were laughing about something.
Ready to take pictures, Mr. Bergmann had a camera with a monster zoom lens. Reid wished he had something to take a picture with, but his phone was so basic it wouldn’t be able to take one from this far.
Adrian joined him. They stood there in silence, but for some reason, he didn’t feel as alone as he had before. The big gelding moved to the gate. With a kick, Suzie leaned forward and urged her horse to move through the clover pattern.
He had to smile. The big animal flicked his ears back and forth but never went past a trot.
Adrian laughed. “That girl would give anything for a faster horse. They’re having a hard time keeping her on that pace. She wants speed.”
“What about Lizzy?”
“Oh, she’s the slow, steady one. She’s happy with the pony. I don’t see her advancing to the upper-level rodeos. She’s just here for the Frito pie and Big Red.”
“Hey, Reid!” James hollered.
He jumped at his parole officer’s voice. For a moment, he panicked wondering what he’d done wrong. “Have you seen Danica? We have a problem. It seems a few of the big cats got through the fencing on the west side and were seen stalking goats.”
“There’s no way they got out.”
“All I know is we got a few angry ranchers at the sanctuary, demanding something be done. Or they’re going to start taking care of the situation themselves.”
He glanced across the arena and found Danica looking at him. She turned away when they made eye contact. “I’ll go get her. Let me tell Philip I’m leaving, and make sure he can get the steers back to the Hausman ranch without me.”
“I can help him if he needs it,” Adrian offered. “She’ll need backup with those ranchers. They’ve been looking for ways to shut her down from day one.”
Reid nodded and made his way to Danica. Taking the stairs two at a time, he ignored Jackie’s hard glare at the landing and went straight to Danica. “Hey. There’s trouble at the sanctuary.”
Chapter Seven
Parking behind Stephanie’s Mercedes, Danica got out of her vehicle and slammed the door behind her, striding toward the oncoming storm.
Reid followed her. On the porch, a group of men in cowboy hats, starched jeans and worn boots gathered around Officer Bolton and the lawyer.
A barrel-chested rancher, Walter Riggs, stepped away from the group when he saw them. “You promised us they wouldn’t be a threat to our herds.”
Marching up the steps, Danica faced him directly. “Y’all are a bigger threat to my old crippled cats than they are to your stock.”
That was the wrong thing to say. A flurry of angry words flew through the air.
Reid took a step forward but stopped right behind her left shoulder. “Yelling at her won’t fix the problem.”
She’d lost her composure for a moment. That couldn’t happen again. They were threatening her animals, and she needed to keep a level head in order to protect them. Reid stared straight at the lead cowboy.
Reid stood tall but relaxed. “We’ll collect the cats, fix the fences and put procedures in place to make sure this doesn’t happen again.” He glanced down at Danica.
She nodded, grateful he had a cool head. With the aviators on, he was an imposing figure.
His finger brushed her back, but he quickly retreated and crossed his arms over his chest.
With a clear focus, she took control of the conversation. “It’s our priority to discover how this happened, and make sure it doesn’t happen again. For the safety of your livestock, and of the rescue animals on the premises.”
Walter closed the space between them. With his hands on his hips, he lifted his chin in a challenge. “Who are you?”
“I’m her vet tech, and I just got out of prison, so I don’t scare easily.”
Her father’s friend took a step back. He glanced to the deputy, then back to Reid. “Is that a threat?”
“No, sir. Just letting you know you can’t come here expecting to bully Ms. Bergmann. Her family wouldn’t appreciate it.”
“Reid.” Her hand touched his arm. The warmth seeped through the cotton material of his shirt, so she pulled her hand away quickly. “Reid, as he said, is my vet tech. He’s worked with large animals before. We will have the cats back on the property before nightfall.”
Another long, lanky rancher spoke up. “We don’t have a problem with you or your animals if they stay on your place. Danica, you promised these cats wouldn’t be a threat to our livestock. Now they are running wild over the countryside. I have my boys out looking for them. We’re going to get them off our ranch one way or another.” He shot a nervous glance at Reid. “If you get them first, that’s fine, but I’m not sure this is the place for this kind of rescue facility. It’s surrounded by working ranches.”
James stepped up. “Now, there’s no reason for threats, Henry.”
Stephanie straightened her jacket. “We have every legal right to be here. If you have any complaints, make them formal. Showing up at the sanctuary as a mob is not acceptable.” She glanced at her phone. “I’ve got an appointment, but if you need anything else, you know how to contact me.”
“Thank you, Stephanie.” Danica turned to Reid. “I’m going to move the car. Can you gather the supplies we need for retrieval, and bring the truck and stock trailer around?”
Without taking his eyes off the small group of men, he nodded. She didn’t want to think how easy it was to trust him, especially in a ten
se situation like this. No, for now, she needed to focus on the real problem. She needed to get her cats home.
* * *
“The crippled jaguar is close to the fence line, hiding under a cedar. He’s acting like he wants back in the sanctuary. I’ve got a small team here, including James.” Bobby’s thick drawl came over the radio. Reid looked over at Danica as she listened in.
“We have the small female. Reid and I are taking her back, and we’ll put her in the clinic for tonight. Did James get pictures of the fences?”
“Yes, ma’am. Looks like someone cut the fence, then chased the cats out.”
“Can you make the opening bigger, then try to herd the jag in that direction? If we can get him back without tranquilizing him that would be great.”
“With the volunteers, we can also secure the fence in no time. We’ll have it back right as rain before the sun sets.”
“Thank you, Bobby.”
“Sure thing.” The line went dead.
Slamming a fist against the steering wheel, Danica’s delicate jaw looked hard as steel. “This was done on purpose. Who would want to close us down so bad?”
“You’ll need to make a list and turn it over to the sheriff. Hopefully, they’ll take it seriously and investigate.”
With a rigid jerk of her chin, she stayed focused on the road in front of her. They sat in silence until she parked behind the clinic. Even then, she only gave short, direct instructions to help her with the animal.
Checking the cat, they placed her in a holding crate. Danica briskly put things away, her movements stiff. She started wiping down an area she’d already hit twice before.
He moved behind her, and gently placed his hands on her upper arms to hold her still. “It’s going to be okay.” He pressed his face into her hair. For a moment, everything was right with the world. She was in his arms, her warmth and scent surrounding him.
She relaxed against him. The citrus smell of her shampoo flirted with his senses. Just as quickly, she braced her hand on the counter and stiffened. “Reid, you don’t know that.”
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