Brett must have sensed her trepidation. He stepped in front of her to lead the way. “Will and Nancy sure will be glad to see you.” His voice was reassuring and calm. Seemed he was trying to set her at ease.
Remembering his earlier suggestion, Taylor inhaled a sharp intake of breath. The last time she was here, all hell had broken loose and she’d stormed out, promising never to return for as long as she lived. It seemed surreal to be here again.
“Come on,” Brett called. “Don’t be shy. Whatever your reasons were for staying away, you can always come home again.”
She crossed the grassy front yard and made her way up the stairs that were bedecked with pots of blooming flowers. When she joined Brett on the wide front porch, her body felt light, like she was floating in a dream. He rapped on the door with his knuckles. A moment later, Taylor heard footsteps inside.
“Smile,” Brett said as the door opened.
The female face behind the screen was not a familiar one to Taylor. Through the screen, the woman appeared to be slightly younger than her and in good physical shape. Her dark eyes lit up upon seeing Brett.
“Hi, Brett.”
“Hello, ma’am.” He removed his Stetson and plowed a hand through his hat-flattened hair. “This is Mrs. Banner’s daughter, Taylor Young,” he said, making the introductions.
The woman’s eyes widened. “Oh! Miss Young! What a surprise. Do come in. Both of you.” She pulled the screen door open and beckoned them to enter.
Taylor preceded Brett inside. Her heart was hammering so hard it felt like it was going to burst from her chest. The moment her feet crossed the threshold, six years of emotions crashed over her like waves on the sea.
The woman, who Taylor could now see was dressed in green scrubs, invited them into the great room. Taylor’s gaze traveled over the familiar leather furniture, the western-themed paintings and accessories scattered around the room, and the huge stone fireplace taking up the entire north wall. It was in this very room, standing in front of the fireplace, that she’d spoken her last words to Jamie and Mama, vowing never to return. Her stomach did a flip-flop as that exchange played through her mind.
“You’re an inconsiderate, selfish bitch, Jamie. If it weren’t for Will, you wouldn’t even have a roof over your head!”
“Taylor, don’t talk that way about your sister.”
Taylor’s wrath then lit on her mother. “Why, Mama? Does it make you uncomfortable to hear the truth? It’s about time someone said it. I’m sick of Jamie bulldozing over people and thinking she can get whatever she wants at everyone else’s expense. It’s your fault she’s the way she is, Mama. You spoiled her rotten, and after you married Will, he carried on the tradition.”
“Don’t bring your stepfather into this.”
Taylor ground her teeth together. “You’re correct. He’s been good to me. I shouldn’t have brought him up. The blame lies solely with you. You’re her mother. You should have taught her better.”
“You were your father’s favorite,” Mama cried. “Jamie needed the love and attention from me that she didn’t get from him.”
“That’s B.S.,” Taylor mumbled. “Daddy loved her just as much.”
While Jamie stood between them, mute, Mama’s eyes filled with fresh tears. “Why can’t you just forgive your sister and move on?” she bellowed.
Taylor couldn’t believe her ears. “Forgive and move on? Are you kidding me?” She threw her hands into the air and clenched her fists. It took all her willpower not to scream. “She sleeps with my husband, and your brilliant suggestion is to forgive her and move on? She hasn’t even apologized!” With her head feeling like it was about to explode, Taylor’s stunned gaze ping-ponged between her mother and her sister.
“You know how fragile Jamie is,” her mother bawled. “She made a bad decision, but that doesn’t make her a bad person. She’s still your baby sister, Taylor.”
“Fragile, my ass,” Taylor shouted. “You’ve indulged Jamie her entire life. You’d probably excuse her of committing murder, even if you saw her do it.”
“Leave Mama alone,” Jamie finally shrieked, coming to her own defense. “You’re jealous of me and always have been. That’s what this is all about. Admit it! I’ve always been prettier and more fun. All the boys wanted to date me. You couldn’t stand the attention I got when we were younger and you’re still envious. Green is not a color you look good in, Taylor.”
With her pulse racing like a thoroughbred, and feeling like she was a second away from punching Jamie in the mouth, Taylor breathed in and out slowly before standing toe to toe with her. Intending to retaliate with more heated words, she suddenly felt drained. Completely exhausted and not caring anymore, her voice dropped to a low whisper. “How could you do it? You’re my sister. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
When Jamie had no response except to stare at the floor, Taylor said, “I don’t know how you sleep at night. You’ll never change. Once a tramp, always a tramp.” Then she stomped out of the room swearing she’d never step foot in the house again. The last thing she heard before slamming the door behind her was Mama wailing.
Paralyzed by the succession of rapid-fire memories, Taylor jumped when the excitable voice next to her jolted her back to the here and now.
“I’m Chelsea Hamilton, Mrs. Banner’s home health nurse,” the woman said, stretching out her hand to shake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Young. Your mother will be so happy to hear you’re here. Ever since Mr. Banner told her he’d spoken to you, she’s been pestering him about when you were going to arrive.”
“Is that so?” Will shouldn’t have promised Mama anything, Taylor thought. But she was here, wasn’t she? What did it matter what he’d told Mama? Drawing a deep breath to rein in her dancing nerves, she answered, “I had a break in my schedule, but I can’t stay long.”
Chelsea’s eyes lit up at the same time her cheeks flushed pink. “Mrs. Banner has been bragging that you’re a famous photographer. She’s told me all about the celebrities you’ve gotten to meet. Have you taken any photographs of Harrison Ford? Even though he’s older, he’s my all-time favorite actor.”
Taylor could sense Brett looking at her again. She glanced to where he was standing against the wall with his arms crossed over his broad chest. Plastered on his face was the movie-star smile that had probably driven a lot of women to their knees.
Her attention pivoted back to Chelsea. “As a matter of fact, I have photographed Mr. Ford and he’s even more handsome in person than he is on screen. I had the privilege of taking family photos of him and Calista and their son in their home near Jackson.”
Chelsea’s smile broadened. “I’m so jealous. I’ve never been out of Montana, but I have a dream. I’m planning to go to Las Vegas one day. It must be a terribly exciting life you lead out in California, Miss Young!”
“Please call me Taylor. I expect we’re not far in age.”
“All right. You can call me Chelsea.”
Taylor glanced at Brett again. He was nodding and giving her the thumbs-up sign like he was impressed. Though the pleasure in his eyes was real, she doubted he gave two hoots about her life in L.A. Instead of being offended, however, she took solace in his teasing—if that’s what it was. She was almost certain it meant he liked her. Although they’d just met and it shouldn’t matter, it was important for him to like her, especially after her childish behavior earlier.
“Please have a seat and I’ll get Mr. Banner for you,” Chelsea said, scurrying from the room and down the hall toward the back of the house where Will’s office was located.
Taylor lowered herself into one of the two buttery-soft couches flanking each side of the fireplace. Brett, she noticed, stayed where he was on the landing.
“Now that you’re here, does it feel good to be home again?” he asked.
“I’m not sure good is the adjective I’d use. I’m still pretty tense right now. Coming home was not something I’d planned on doing anytime in the im
mediate future.”
“It’s been six years. It seems you’ve waited long enough.”
The corners of her mouth twitched in a half-smile and she struggled to temper another bad-mannered retort. What did it matter to him how long it’d been since she’d been home? The answer came to her in a flash. Probably home was important to him since he didn’t have one of his own anymore.
“You wouldn’t understand,” she replied. “You weren’t here six years ago. You don’t know what went down.”
“Nope. You’re right about that. I hired on two years ago come September. What happened back then that is causing you such anxiety now?”
“You honestly haven’t heard?”
“There might have been some talk around town, but I spend most of my time with cows and horses. They don’t gossip much. Heard what?”
She stood and moved next to the floor-to-ceiling glass windows that stretched across the east wall. She figured her departure six years ago had been the talk of the ranch, as well as in Prosperity. News traveled fast in a small town. Probably everyone in and around Prosperity already knew she was back home and the gossip had started up again.
She didn’t doubt for a minute that the likable cowboy spent a great deal of his time communicating with cows and horses, but Taylor also figured he got to town once in a while and had heard about the scandal at some point, particularly since Jamie’s death.
Her back was facing him when she answered, “Let’s just say there was a family dispute, and it was better for me to walk away before someone was pushing up daisies.”
When there was no wisecrack offered from the other side of the room, Taylor turned around to find Brett rubbing his chin and mulling that over. For once, it appeared he had nothing to say.
With the sound of footsteps approaching, Taylor swung her head toward the archway dividing the great room from the hall. The sweet scent of cigar smoke accompanied the entrance of her stepdad. Holding the cigar in his hand and stylishly dressed in slacks, a white shirt with a western yoke and pearl buttons, and ostrich boots, silver-haired Will Banner smiled when his gaze connected with Taylor’s.
The hard tug on her heart was unanticipated.
He spread his arms wide. “Taylor. Come here, sweetheart, and give the old man a hug.”
Chapter Five
“Will.” Taylor stepped forward for a quick embrace. Surprisingly, the tenderness she’d felt for the man in the years before the big blowup came rushing back. Struggling to keep the sudden swell of emotion in check, she backed up and gave his shoulder an awkward pat.
“It’s so good to see you,” he said, looking her up and down. “You’re as pretty as a summer day, honey.”
“Thank you. You look great, too. Very fit.” She quickly calculated he must be sixty-two now, but was still trim and suntanned, probably from spending so much time outdoors.
He took another puff on the cigar and then stubbed it out in a nearby ashtray and grinned. “Ranching is the best form of exercise. It keeps a man healthy.” His gaze swerved to Brett, who had been standing back. “Isn’t that right?”
“Yes, sir.” Brett joined the two of them and shook Will’s hand. “How’s it going, Mr. Banner?”
“Fine, Brett. Just fine, now that our Taylor has come home.” He smiled at her again, and she swore she saw his chest expand like that of a proud rooster. “I take it you two have already met,” he said, glancing between her and his ranch hand.
Brett spoke first. “She had a little trouble with her rental car about a mile down the road. I gave her a lift on Bill.”
“That must have been interesting,” chuckled Will. “It’s probably been a few years since you’ve been on a horse, huh, Taylor?”
“True. Not too many opportunities for horseback riding in Los Angeles. And I don’t have the time anyway. Your ranch hand came to the rescue like a real knight in shining armor.” She slid a sideways glance at Brett and saw him smiling.
“Brett Austin is no run-of-the-mill cowpuncher, honey,” Will said. “He’s the foreman of the Slash Y. He runs this whole place for me.”
Her mouth dropped open and she stared at Brett. “You didn’t tell me you were the foreman.”
“You didn’t ask.”
“But you led me to believe you were a hand.”
“I don’t think I did. Seemed you jumped to conclusions. But I apologize, nonetheless, since you appear to be flustered by your mistake.”
“It wasn’t a mistake. And I’m not flustered.” She was, though she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. Another eye roll from her led to snickers from both men.
“I wanted to let you know I ran that errand for you, Mr. Banner,” Brett said, switching the subject.
“Thank you, son. I appreciate it.”
Son? Taylor’s gaze shifted between the two men. They clearly had respect for one another. Mutual admiration showed on their faces.
Throughout the past six years, Taylor had been fairly successful at tamping down memories of the ranch. In that time, she’d never considered what would happen to it in the future when Will and Mama were gone. But if Brett Austin thought he was going to charm his way into inheriting the Slash Y someday, he had another thing coming. Not that she needed or wanted the money, but as the only heir now, she’d be entitled to the house, the barn, the animals, the cabins, and all ten thousand acres when that day came.
“If it’s okay with your daughter,” Brett said, “I’ll walk down to where the car is and drive it back here to the house. It was just flooded. It should start now that it’s had a short rest.” He looked at Taylor and held out his palm.
“What?” she asked.
“The car keys.”
“Oh. That’s okay. There’s no need for you to bother. As the foreman, I’m sure you have more important things to do around here than run a valet service.” There was no need for sarcasm, but she didn’t like feeling like the butt of a joke. “I’ll walk down and get the car later.”
Will’s gaze dropped to her feet. “In those?” He started laughing, which led to a fit of coughing. Taylor slapped him on the back and he was able to catch his breath.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes,” he sputtered. “I should give up those cigars. Air went down the wrong pipe when I laughed. Let Brett bring your car up, honey. Your mama is aching to see you. I’m sure Chelsea has told her you’re down here by now.” His granite-colored eyes blinked back tears—either as a result of the coughing or from sentimentality. Taylor wasn’t sure which.
Vacillating between rising anxiety at seeing her mother after so many years and the desire to settle the rift with her, Taylor fished the keys out of her purse and dropped them in Brett’s outstretched hand. “All right. Thanks, Mr. Austin.”
“It’s Brett. And you’re welcome. I’ll park it out back and leave your luggage inside the laundry room.”
“I only have one bag.” She saw disappointment flash across Will’s lined, but still handsome face. He was probably hoping she’d be staying for a while.
Brett tipped his head and said, “Okay then. I’ll see you both later.”
“Thank you.” Will patted his back.
“Yes, sir. No problem.”
“Plan to stay for supper tonight,” Will added quickly. “Mrs. Banner will be joining us.”
Taylor couldn’t recall the hired men ever taking meals with the family when she was growing up. Why was Will inviting Brett to supper? She opened her mouth to comment and then snapped it shut just as fast.
It wasn’t her business. This was Will’s home. Anyway, perhaps it would be better to have Brett at the table tonight, just in case things didn’t go so well with her mother. The way he talked a blue streak, he’d be able to keep the conversation from becoming awkward.
He smiled broadly. “Thank you, sir. I’ll look forward to it. Six o’clock?”
Will nodded.
Brett slid a smile at Taylor and then he let himself out the front door.
Will loop
ed his arm through Taylor’s and walked her to the staircase that led to the second floor. They treaded up the steps slowly.
Time had not seemed to erase his affection for her.
“How is Mama?” Taylor asked. “Be honest.”
Will shook his head slowly. “I didn’t want to worry you on the phone, but the drinking has spiraled out of control. Brett’s the one who found her after she’d fallen. She was right at the bottom of these steps, unconscious.”
Taylor looked over her shoulder and pictured her mother careening down the stairs and landing in a heap. “It’s a wonder she didn’t do more than break a hip. She could have killed herself.”
Will nodded. “I keep my eye on her the best I can, but I can’t follow her around like a lost puppy. She’s a grown woman, and can be stubborn. I told her the drinking was only making things worse, but she won’t listen to me.” His jaw squared in frustration.
“I’m not blaming you, Will. I know how Mama is. I’ve known her to have a glass of wine with supper every now and then, but usually only on a special occasion. Is there anything else going on that I should know about? Are you and her okay?”
“Jamie’s death is what brought on the drinking. And being estranged from you hasn’t helped. Then, when you didn’t even come back for the funeral…” His words trailed off as the two of them halted at the top of the landing.
Taylor breathed deeply to steady herself. There was nothing for her to feel guilty about, except perhaps the way her decisions had affected her stepfather.
Mama had made her choice back when she sided with Jamie six years ago. Apparently she was still making bad decisions. Getting drunk never solved anyone’s problems.
Why am I really here? Taylor thought. My being here won’t change the past and it won’t bring Jamie back. If Mama wants absolution, why has it taken six long years for her to ask for it?
Could she forgive her mother if asked? And what about Jamie? If she were still alive, would she ask for Taylor’s forgiveness as well?
The hair on her skin prickled. She blinked her eyes. Suddenly, the vision of her sister materialized in front of her. Jamie hovered in the air for a few seconds and then faded away like the ripples on a pond after a rock has been skipped over the water. The light touch of an invisible finger tracing up her arm caused Taylor to jump.
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