His Texas Baby

by Stella Bagwell

  He shot her a clever smile then opened the lid on the console. “I was going to give you this later tonight. After supper. But I think now is a better time.”

  While he pulled a small package from the storage compartment, she squared around on the seat. “Give me something? When did you put that in there?”

  Liam chuckled. “I can be sneaky when I need to be.” From a small silver-and-white-striped sack, he pulled out a flat box covered with blue velvet and handed it to her. “I hope you like it. I’m not— Well, I never was much for buying gifts. Especially gifts for women. But you can always return it for something else.”

  Disbelief puckered her forehead as she cradled the box in her hands. “This is not my birthday and it’s not a holiday.”

  “No. But I can still give my wife something, can’t I?”

  Nodding, she slowly opened the box to reveal a pin crafted in the shape of a racehorse carrying a jockey. The piece of jewelry was very detailed and no doubt had been very pricey to have made. The horse itself was paved with diamonds, while its black saddle towel appeared to be formed from rows of onyx. The jockey’s brown and yellow silks were the exact replica of Desert End colors complete with a tiny DE on the back.

  “In case you’re wondering, the brown and yellow stones are topaz and citrine.”

  “Liam, it’s exquisite,” she said in a voice just slightly above a whisper. “I love it!” Suddenly galvanized with excitement, she thrust the box at him. “Pin it on me, would you, please.”

  Smiling indulgently, he asked, “Now? You don’t want to wait until we get to the ranch where you can look in the mirror?”

  “Right now!” she insisted with a bubbly laugh. “I might never take it off!”

  After lifting the pin from its bed, he fastened it to the left shoulder of her blouse. The little horse and rider glittered against the blue fabric and the smile on Kitty’s face as she gazed down at it made Liam feel as if he was on top of the world. To make her happy made him happy. It was as simple as that.

  “It’s precious, Liam. You couldn’t have given me anything I’d like better.” Leaning forward, she slipped her arms around his neck and pressed her cheek against his. “But you still haven’t told me why I’m getting a gift.”

  “Let’s just say—for being my wife,” he murmured as he pressed his lips to her temple. She smelled sweet and sultry and as he nuzzled her soft hair, he knew with certainty that he could never go back to living his life without this woman. She filled up the holes in him. She made each day unique and special.

  He couldn’t say what she wanted to hear—that he loved her. Maybe because he was too much of a coward, too afraid that once he spoke the words everything would crumble and be swept away from him. He realized his fears weren’t reasonable, but they were inside him just the same. Now he was hoping the pin and being by her side would show her that she was special to him, that he respected her greatly.

  *

  Later that evening, after a dinner that Coral served them, Kitty retired to her bedroom to get some much needed rest before they caught a flight back to California the next day. Since it was still early, Liam decided to walk down to the barns and look over some of the stalled horses that were presently in training.

  While Willard had been alive, Liam had visited the ranch on occasions and he’d always been impressed with Desert End’s facilities. The horses were supplied with the best of everything and the workers were as dedicated as those who were employed by the Diamond D stables.

  He’d made his way through one of the big barns and was making his way to an adjacent building when he met an older gentleman with snow-white hair and leathery bronze skin. His wide, coarse features split into a smile when he got close enough to recognize Liam.

  “Mr. Donovan! It’s good to see you here on the ranch,” he said as he shook Liam’s outstretched hand.

  “Hello, Oscar,” Liam greeted the barn manager. “It’s good to see you, too. How have things been going around here? Any problems?”

  Even though there was a general manager for the ranch, Liam was well aware that the barn manager was the one person who kept a finger on the real heartbeat of the ranch. Oscar had held this position for probably longer than Liam had been alive and the older man was likely to remain in it until the day he died.

  Tilting his head pensively to one side, Oscar answered, “Well, the drought has put a crimp on the hay supply. But I guess I can’t tell you New Mexicans anything you don’t already know about the hay shortage.”

  “It’s been terrible that’s for sure,” Liam agreed. “But my family has the ability to irrigate our alfalfa fields so that’s helped matters.”

  Oscar gestured toward a row of feed buckets that were lined against the wall of the barn. “If you got a minute, let’s sit,” he invited.

  Liam turned one of the buckets upside down and used it for a temporary seat. Oscar followed suit and once he was settled, he leaned earnestly toward Liam as though he needed to unload a heavy burden.

  “Well, finding hay ain’t no worry of mine. I’m not the boss around here.”

  “Don’t sell yourself short,” Liam told the other man.

  Oscar pulled off a battered straw hat and swiped a hand over his thick hair. “Harrumph!” He snorted. “I’ve worked here for forty years, Mr. Donovan, but this has been the worst times I’ve ever seen on this ranch.”

  Empathy for the man had him reaching over and patting Oscar’s shoulder. “Losing Will has been hard on everyone, Oscar. When my grandfather Donovan died our ranch just wasn’t the same. Everyone was struggling to go on with their jobs and trying to do things like nothing had changed. It was hard. But with time everything gets better.”

  He was living proof of that, Liam thought. When he’d lost Felicia and the baby he’d truly believed his world had ended. He’d certainly never believed he’d be married again and another child soon to arrive. Most of all, he’d never thought he’d ever be able to feel this much happiness again. The idea scared him, but he was beginning to embrace it. Because he had to. Because he’d reached the point where living without Kitty was not an option.

  Oscar scuffed the dirt with the toe of his boot. “It won’t get better if I lose my job, Mr. Donovan.”

  Puzzled by the barn manager’s remark, Liam studied Oscar’s downcast face. “What are you talking about? You’re an institution around here.” He paused thoughtfully before he asked, “Is someone causing you trouble? Threatening to fire you? If they are I’ll talk with Kitty about it. She’ll take care of things for you.”

  Oscar’s mouth pressed to a grim line as he stared across the way at a paddock full of yearlings. “Don’t bother Miss Kitty. She has her own troubles.”

  Liam frowned at the man’s evasive answer. “She doesn’t have too many for you, Oscar. She always speaks of you with great fondness. And I know that she’s grateful for the job that you do.”

  “Yes, sir. But—” He turned his attention back to Liam and this time his features were wrinkled with anguish. “I’m not supposed to say nothing about this, Mr. Donovan. Only a few of us folks around here know what’s going on. And we don’t want to talk about it. But the ones of us that do know, well, we’re scared. Not just for us, but for Miss Kitty, too. That girl loves this place. Loves it with all her heart. What’s it gonna do to her if she loses it? It’d be a damned shame, that’s what!” He swung his head miserably. “I never thought the old man could do such a thing—especially to his own daughter. She was always so good to him and loved him so much. And this is how the bastard repays her. Just goes to show you that you never really know a person.”

  Totally stunned, Liam stared at the older man. “Oscar, I’m afraid that I’ve lost you. What’s this about Will and Kitty? Why would she be about to lose this place? She’s winning at the track and she’s gaining horses in her barn, not losing them.” And most of all, she’d not said a word about any of this to Liam, he thought uneasily. Had she been keeping something this important from him?r />
  His thoughts spinning, he waited for the barn manager to explain.

  “We all know she’s been winning. We watch and keep up with all the track news. And damned right we should. It’s our livelihood, too.” He trained a squinted eye at Liam. “She never told you anything about the old man’s will?”

  Liam shook his head, while hating to admit the fact that his wife wasn’t sharing important things with him. “The ranch and its holdings are her business. A few months ago, after Will died, I’d heard that all of it, except for a specified amount of money to Owen, had gone to Kitty and she’s never told me any differently.”

  “Oh. Well—” He shook his head then, closing his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose. “Like I said, I shouldn’t be sayin’ anything. Kitty didn’t want it known and she’s not the one who spilled the beans. She don’t want people worryin’ and I think she was hurt and embarrassed by what the old man had done to her. ’Course, Owen couldn’t keep his mouth shut.”

  Desperate now for the barn manager to get to the point, Liam very nearly reached over and shook his shoulder. “But what has Willard done, Oscar? Tell me.”

  He drew in a long breath and let it out. “The Oaks at Hollywood. She’s gotta win that race or at least place second. If she don’t, the ranch is gonna go to Mr. Owen. And we all know what he’ll do with it. Sell it so fast our heads will all spin. He’s already strutted through the barns like he owns the place and warning that we’d all better start looking for other jobs. ’Cause there’s no way in hell he’d ever give Kitty the chance to buy the place back. No, he’s got a mean streak in him. Just like his daddy had.”

  Liam felt physically ill as the whirling in his head was quickly falling into place. Kitty working herself to the point of exhaustion. Her obsession with Black Dahlia and the Oaks. Her order to Clayton to keep someone posted at the filly’s stall at all times. She had to win the race! Otherwise she was going to lose this ranch, the horses, everything she’d helped her father amass! It was incredible. She’d been carrying the heavy burden of Willard’s will right along with the baby. Oh, God, why hadn’t she told him? Did she mistrust him? Or did she—

  Liam’s thoughts came to a screeching halt as another notion hit him and suddenly Kitty’s words were ringing in his head with bell-like clarity.

  If the baby comes during the Oaks, you will take over for me, won’t you? This race is so important to me. I need your help, Liam. Clayton doesn’t have your experience. You’re royalty around the tracks. Will you help me with Dahlia?

  As Liam continued to stare in disbelief at Oscar, the snippets of conversation tumbled over and over in his mind until he thought his head was going to explode. Kitty was using him. That much was plain and simple. Willard, the man he’d befriended and loved, had turned out to be an unfeeling son of a bitch. And his son, Owen, was apparently no better. Oh, God, and now his baby was coming from the Cartwright family. Liam wanted to scream and punch someone in the face.

  “I—I didn’t know,” Liam said stiffly, then quickly rose to his feet. “But I find it damned hard to believe that Willard has done this. He was my friend. A good man.”

  Rising up from his makeshift seat, Oscar cast Liam a rueful glance. “Everybody around here thought the same thing, too. That’s what I mean, Mr. Donovan. Sometimes a person just isn’t what you think they are.”

  Liam heaved out a heavy breath. “Thank you for telling me, Oscar. And don’t worry. I’m going to look into all of this.”

  As Liam started to walk away, the other man called out to him. “Don’t let Miss Kitty know that I’m the one who spilled the beans. She’ll fire me for sure.”

  “She won’t hear it from me,” Liam grimly assured him.

  But she was going to hear plenty of other things from him, Liam thought sickly. And he wasn’t going to wait about telling her just what he thought of her!

  *

  Kitty had gotten up from her short nap and was washing her face at the bathroom sink when she heard Liam come into the bedroom.

  “I’m in here, Liam,” she called to him as she patted the drops of water from her cheeks.

  After hanging up the towel, she glanced around to see him standing in the open doorway. A strange look was on his face, as if someone had just struck him, and her heart began to thud with uncertain dread.

  “Liam? What’s happened?” she asked as she hurried toward him. “Is it the horses? Is it Black Dahlia?”

  His features stony, he said, “Your first concern would be about Black Dahlia, wouldn’t it?”

  The sarcasm in his voice stopped her short and she stared at him with confusion. “Am I supposed to understand that remark? Liam, what’s wrong?”

  “In a nutshell, I found out about Willard’s will.”

  Suddenly, Kitty felt too shaky to stand and she walked past him and out to the bed where she sank weakly onto the edge of the mattress.

  “How?” she asked dully. “Owen? Frankly I’m surprised he hasn’t said something to you before now. He never did want me to marry you.”

  His features hard and ruthless, Liam strode toward her. “That’s the least of our worries.”

  Her eyes widened. “What does that mean?”

  “It means that I have a wife I can’t trust!” he practically yelled at her. “I thought you married me because of the baby. Because you loved me. But none of that was true.” His voice became low and vindictive. “You married me because you wanted a trainer at your beck and call. A trainer to get you through the Oaks and into the winner’s circle.”

  The anger pulsing through her pushed away the shakiness in her knees and she shot to her feet to face him head-on. “You arrogant hypocrite! You have a megadose of nerve, don’t you? You’re not the only winning trainer in town! And as for love—don’t try to talk about something you know nothing about!”

  If anything, his face turned harder and Kitty figured if she’d had enough gumption to slap his face it would probably break her hand.

  “It’s obvious you’d do anything to hold on to this place. Even marry me,” he practically hissed the accusation.

  More angry than she could ever remember being, she shot him a cold stare. “You feel like I’m using you. Well, take a good look at me, Liam. How do you think I feel? You made it clear from the very beginning that you only married me for the baby. To you I’m nothing more than an incubator for your child. So I’m using you and you’re using me. And everybody uses everybody. So get over it or get out of my life!”

  “Is that the way you really feel?”

  Feeling hot tears already gathering at the back of her eyes, she turned her back on him and struggled to keep them at bay. “Damned right, I do. You and this ranch can go to hell!”

  Long seconds passed without any sort of reply from him and then she heard the bedroom door open and close behind her. When she finally turned and looked, Liam was gone.

  Her hands covering her face, Kitty fell onto the bed, sobbing.

  *

  Kitty didn’t know where Liam slept that night. And she told herself she didn’t care. If her husband was more concerned about his ego than his wife’s dire predicament, then she didn’t need him.

  But sitting beside him on the flight home and trying to keep her emotions in check hadn’t been an easy thing to do. To say the trip had been strained was putting it mildly. By the time they reached their house in Westchester, Kitty was mentally and physically drained.

  Even so, she quickly changed her dress for a pair of jeans and shirt and was on her way out the door when Liam called out to her.

  “Where are you going now?”

  Pausing, she turned back to him. “To the track. Where else? I want to check on the horses and Clayton.”

  He sneered. “Can’t wait to see your assistant and cry on his shoulder?”

  “That doesn’t merit an answer,” she said stiffly.

  He walked closer and for a moment, as Kitty’s gaze wandered over his handsome face, she prayed that something would sud
denly click inside of him and make him see how much she loved and needed him. But miracles didn’t happen just because a person wanted them to.

  “You need to stay here and forget about that damned string of horses,” he muttered. “If something happened to my baby—”

  “It’s my baby, too,” she interrupted hotly. “And don’t tell me what to do! Ever since I can remember men have been trying to run my life. First Dad, then Owen, and now you! Well, I’ve had all I can take. I’m not stupid, Liam. I’m not going to endanger the baby. Furthermore, I can tell you right now that you’ve put a thousand times more stress on me than working at the barn. So chew on that for a while!”

  Not waiting for any sort of reply, Kitty slammed out the door and hurried to her truck.

  Chapter Twelve

  Three weeks later, on a late Friday evening, the bugle call to post had already sounded and the gates were about to crack with the first race on the card. However, Liam wasn’t over at the main track to participate as a trainer or a fan. He was still in the training barn, going through the motions of work.

  The Oaks was only two days away now and Liam was trying not to think about the heavy burden Kitty was facing over her father’s will, or the fact that she could go into labor at any moment. After their argument at Desert End, she’d virtually frozen him out and he supposed he couldn’t blame her. Since the days had passed, he was beginning to see that he’d behaved like a first-class jerk by accusing her of marrying him to save her ranch.

  Dear God, he wasn’t in any position to accuse her of anything. He’d married her solely because of the baby so he could hardly pretend to be any better or more righteous than she. But somewhere along the way his marriage had become more to him than simply creating a ready-made family for the child. Now, he didn’t know what to do to try to fix things between them, or even if he could.

  He’d told her they’d discuss their marriage once the baby had arrived and since then he’d not brought up the subject. He figured when the time came Kitty wasn’t going to hesitate to tell him she wanted out of their marriage deal. She wanted love. Real love.