The Marriage Season

by Linda Lael Miller

  Tripp shook his head. “I should’ve taken him to the north pasture to graze alone. This first one’s on me. I was in a hurry because Hadleigh was having an ultrasound. I can’t promise, but I have a suspicion there’s going to be a foal.”

  They carefully loaded the horses in the long new transport trailer. That was an expense Tate had known he’d have to make, so he was resigned to it; besides, he could write it off as a legit business deduction.

  When the last animal was in and secured, Tate said—not as casually as he would have liked—“Bex wants her sister to come home to Mustang Creek. Greg is threatening to take Josh away as leverage to get back with Tara. I’m stuck because I really want to interfere, but I’m not sure how this should play out. Bex wants her here for Josh’s sake, and like I said, Greg seems to want her back.”

  Tripp rested his hand on the side on the trailer, his expression troubled. “That’s a tough one. Greg and Tara have a one-sided relationship, and that’s his side. He’s gotten to do whatever he wants for a long time.”

  “I see Bex’s point.” Tate puffed out a breath. “I’m invested in this, too. Josh has changed a lot just in the time I’ve known him. He deserves to stay here with his friends. It would all be different if his father and mother got along fine and he was moving, say to Denver, for another reason. I did it to my kids. New life. New place. They love it here. They aren’t part of an ongoing argument, though.”

  But if he and Sandra had divorced as planned, they sure might have been. It would be hypocritical to criticize too much.

  Tripp shrugged. “Bex was born to fix the world. Accept it. Melody will stylishly decorate it. Hadleigh will be the queen-slash-dictator, and everything will be under control. I say let them handle it. Greg won’t stand a chance.”

  “Hands off?”

  “That’s my advice. Hands off. This is up to Bex. I understand you want to fix it, but she’s more than capable of handling it.”

  Probably good advice. “If he hurts her or Josh, I’m going to—”

  “Step back and trust her,” Tripp said quietly. “Help pick up the pieces and be there 100 percent. If I know Bex, she knows exactly what she’s doing.”

  Tate found his sense of protectiveness hard to conquer, but Tripp was probably right. “Why haven’t Bex and her friends done something before now?”

  “Tara never did something as drastic as taking off for Denver and actually getting a lawyer. So no one thought she’d go through with a divorce. Intervention only works when the person is prepared to change. Tara and Greg have been together a long time. It’s a shame, because I think she does love him, and I think in his dysfunctional way he loves her, but he can’t keep his hands off other women. I’ve seen plenty of men who do the same thing. And women, for that matter, who can’t resist other men. People who stray repeatedly. Hadleigh almost married one.”

  Tate had married one.

  Tripp was reasonable and levelheaded, so Tate took him at his word. “I’d better get back,” he said with reluctance. “My father’s going to be in town yet again for something he says is business related. I’m sure he’s just micromanaging because I swear he has nothing going on in Mustang Creek. Since Mrs. A. knows this due to a flurry of emails, and they want to take a look at the stable and the horses, I might have a murder investigation interfering with our progress.”

  “Mrs. A… Yeah, I can see that. How are the puppies?” Tripp grinned.

  He grimaced. “Let’s see. Messy, undisciplined, they sleep with the boys unless I catch them, eat like horses and grow overnight. All three of them are smart enough to jump down if they hear me coming, but that’s no small thud when they hit the floor and there’s nothing wrong with my hearing, so I’m not exactly fooled.” He sighed. “And they’re puppies, so when it’s lights out, they sleep through just about anything.” He rolled his eyes. “One of my favorite boots has gone missing, but I’m choosing to pretend it’ll turn up in one piece.”

  “Yeah, maybe next spring. If at all.” That was followed by a chuckle. “Kind of what I imagined.”

  “The kids love those damn dogs, so I forgive most infractions.”

  “I can tell you’re already fond of them, too. I have a couple of rules for Ridley and Muggles. Stay off the couch and my favorite chair, and we’re all good. Hadleigh is a little more demanding. If she ever catches me feeding them table scraps, my life would be in danger.”

  “Try having three boys. I’ve attempted that rule, and they hear but don’t listen.” Tate shook his head as he got into the truck. “Thanks again for keeping the horses. If there is a foal, it’s yours. I owe you big-time for all the help.”

  “We can work it out later.”

  “Fair enough.” He checked the clock on the dash and groaned. “My dad might already be there. Wish me luck.”

  He needed it.

  “Hey, I like your dad. For that matter, I like Mrs. A.”

  He didn’t put the vehicle in gear, the window still rolled down. “I do, too, most of the time, but they don’t like each other.” Tate added, “The good news is my father likes Bex. The bad news is he’s going to wonder why we aren’t getting married if he figures out she’s living with me, and he’ll figure it out pretty quickly.”

  Tripp said carefully, “It your business, not mine, but I like Bex, too. I think of her as my little sister. Why aren’t you getting married? Just wondering that myself.”

  “She told me flat-out not to propose.”

  Tripp tugged off his work gloves, frowning. “I know her, and that sounds backward to me. She’d be much more likely to accept a proposal than agree to move in without one.”

  “Something to do with Will. He proposed and then died.” Tate stared out the windshield blindly, not seeing the mountains and trees, just being introspective. “I’m good at fixing problems for two little boys who depend on me night and day, but I don’t know how to reassure Bex about this one.” He threw back his head. “At first I didn’t want to ever remarry, but now I feel that she’s the one I’ve been waiting for all my life. We both agree we want more children—and yet she doesn’t want to marry me.”

  “She’s afraid to marry you. That’s different. Yeah, okay, I can see her thinking that way. When she cares, she really cares. Look what she’s doing for her sister and Josh. Will was my best friend, and I was there when he died. I took it hard, but not like Bex. There’s loving someone, and then there’s being in love. Not the same thing.”

  It wasn’t as though he could argue. He’d made the same point himself.

  “Wish me luck,” he said again.

  Tripp let out a raspy chuckle. “Oh, I do. All the way around.”

  *

  SHE’D SPENT ALMOST an hour on the phone with Tara, wiping her sister’s tears from hundreds of miles away, then another hour with her mother and dad, now retired and living in Sacramento. In that conversation she omitted the information that although Tara was moving back, into Bex’s place, she herself was living elsewhere. She ate lunch at her desk—chicken salad from Bad Billie’s. Delicious. That man might look rough around the edges, but he sure could dish out good food. Then she went for a run to clear her head.

  Tara had jumped at the chance to return to Mustang Creek and swore she was determined to go through with the divorce. Since the gym manager had called in sick yet again, Bex decided it was a good idea to hire her sister, because it solved two problems at one time. But Tate’s practical observation lingered.

  It might not turn out the way you want…

  At least Josh would be living in a place that was familiar, stay in the same school, and see Ben and Adam on a regular basis, not to mention Tate, who represented stability and positive male authority. She’d have a reliable manager to do the office work and to make sure the center was open without her constant supervision. Her house would be rented, and as long as Tara stood firm, the situation would be good for everyone. Except maybe Greg, but Bex refused to worry about him for now. In any case, if he ever showed
an interest, his son wouldn’t be in Denver, so she was doing him a favor, too, although that wasn’t high on her list of priorities.

  Now, if she could only resolve her personal life that neatly…

  She was being untrue to the pact, for one thing.

  She needed to fess up to Hadleigh and Mel. Just plain admit that she’d chickened out, that even though she’d already admitted Tate was the man she wanted, she was afraid.

  She had a feeling they were already aware of it all. They were giving her time to work it out, but that wouldn’t last forever. She knew them as well as they knew her. Sooner or later, she was going to have an intervention of epic stature from two pregnant women with very definite opinions.

  The run was a great cardio workout, but head cleared? Not really.

  It didn’t get any better when she bumped down the lane to the ranch, either. Construction workers all around, two extremely expensive cars she recognized in the driveway, a brand-new horse trailer hitched to Tate’s truck and more horses in the fenced pasture. Now all she needed was…

  Three boys and their giant puppies came rushing out the door at the sound of her car pulling up. She fended off the dogs semisuccessfully, hugged the boys and wished she wasn’t dressed in sweats if Mrs. A. and Tate’s father were inside.

  They were. One seated stiffly on the chair Bex had picked out and particularly liked, striped in beige, brown and dark blue, the other on Tate’s huge leather couch.

  The silence was tense. It was clear they weren’t speaking to each other.

  Tate offered up a smile that silently apologized. He said drily, “We’re having an impromptu business meeting.” He came over and kissed her then whispered in her ear. “It isn’t going well as if you couldn’t tell. Feel free to escape while you can. I encourage you to save yourself. That’s how much I love you.”

  “Got it,” she whispered back. Then more loudly, “I’ve been running.” She appreciated the opportunity to edge toward the hallway. “I need a shower and I don’t want to interrupt. Good luck with the meeting.”

  She dashed down the hall and selected a clean outfit, a long-sleeved dress and flats in case she was dragged off to dinner somewhere. Thankfully, she’d brought over most of her clothes by now, so she felt prepared for most—if not all—circumstances. She shut the door to the master bath. The jetted tub beckoned, but she chose the shower on the off chance she could help defuse the situation just by returning quickly, decently dressed and with a smile on her face.

  She combed her hair after her shower, fluffed it with her fingers and added a touch of lip gloss. When she walked back into the living room, she was glad she’d hurried.

  Tate was obviously grateful to see her because all three boys with their canine companions had come bounding in as she entered the room, and he was busy riding herd on the crowd. Mrs. A., in Bex’s opinion, could hardly complain if one of the exuberant puppies she’d brought over leaped on her.

  “Hey, guys.” Bex nabbed one of the dogs—she thought it was Joker—by the collar just before he launched himself onto the chair, and tried to deflect his affectionate response. “How about Ben’s room and some popcorn?” she suggested to the boys. “You can watch a movie.”

  That was kind of a bold move, since it wasn’t even dinnertime yet and none of them were her children, but it did the trick. The boys went running down the hall, the puppies followed and she prayed the microwave popcorn she’d brought a few days ago was still in the cupboard.

  “Well done.” Tate’s father, when he chose to use it, had the same smile as his son. Up until that moment, the resemblance had just been height, build and bone structure.

  But that smile…

  Unmistakable.

  “Thanks. Well, I’d better go deliver or they’ll be back.”

  “I’ll help you.” Tate followed her into the kitchen.

  She had to say it. “Help me make microwave popcorn? I think I can handle it.”

  He was unrepentant. “I had to get out of that room for a minute. Besides, the big plastic bowl is on a top shelf, and I’m taller than you are. See? There you have it. I need to help.”

  “It’s that bad in there, huh?”

  “Why they agreed they’d both invest is beyond me. It was even their idea.” He reached into the cupboard for the large bowl, and he was right, she would’ve had to stand on one of the stools. Tate handed it over, his face grim. “I’m too far in to change it now, but the second I can buy them both out will be a champagne moment. Individually, they’re difficult enough. Together, I need a lasso and some skilled cowboys to keep ’em calm. Other than coming to the conclusion that they should both get into the business, they can’t agree on a single thing—except that they like you.”

  It seemed unfair to laugh at his gloomy expression, but she couldn’t help it. “And you, or they wouldn’t be here. And they both think breeding horses will be a successful enterprise, although I doubt either of them needs the money. Mrs. A. gives most of hers away as far as I can tell, and I’ve seen your father’s house and car.”

  “I don’t disagree with any of that. I’m just hoping this is worth all the stress of trying to be a diplomat with two pigheaded people used to getting their own way. I’m beginning to think that’s not one of my skills.”

  Bex put the packet of popcorn in the microwave and pushed the start button. “You have other skills.”

  “Oh, yeah? Cheer me up. What are they?” His voice dropped in timbre.

  She tossed out, “You’re not a bad kisser.”

  “Not bad? High praise. Jeez, I’m all warm and fuzzy now. What else?” He moved closer, his gaze holding hers.

  The popcorn started to pop.

  “We can discuss it later.”

  He ran a fingertip across the curve of her eyebrow. “You bet we will. I hate to break it to you but we’re going out to dinner again. Three puppies will have to be incarcerated in Ben’s room. And I have no idea how this happened, but Mrs. A. is coming with us. They decided that when I stepped outside to check on the boys and the dogs. My prediction is that she and my father will argue over the restaurant, the table, where we all sit and who knows what else.” He added, “You look fantastic, by the way.”

  It was shaping up to be an interesting evening.

  The microwave pinged. Bex said, “I’d better deliver this to the boys. I always try to keep my promises.”

  “I’m counting on that.”

  Now, what did he mean? she wondered as she emptied the popcorn into the bowl.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  THE EVENING WASN’T the disaster he’d feared.

  All three boys were reasonably well behaved, as were his father and Mrs. A., if pointedly ignoring each other could be considered polite. At any rate, it was preferable to their constant bickering. Tate and Bex kept the conversation going, but were both relieved when dessert was over and they were back in the truck.

  “Could’ve been worse,” Bex remarked as she fastened her seat belt. She wore an elegant long dark coat that was a contrast to her usual no-nonsense jacket and cute snowflake hat.

  He was fond of that hat.

  “No blood was spilled,” Tate said as he pulled out of the lodge parking lot. “We haven’t had a chance to talk about today yet.” He was conscious of Josh in the backseat, probably not listening, but he wasn’t willing to take that chance. “Go well?”

  “I believe I’ve hired a new manager.” Bex was just as unwilling to say anything directly. “She’s enthusiastic about it all and managed to book a cheap flight for next week,” she said. “Which is a good thing considering how your afternoon turned out.”

  “That’s the truth,” he muttered. “Left alone, those two would’ve done who knows what. The next meeting will involve the National Guard if I have my way. Some tear gas would’ve been handy today. I’d rather there wasn’t another meeting. But back to Tara and company. What happens now?”

  “No idea. It seems like every single time I make a plan, something
blasts it off the face of the earth. I’m just waiting for everything to settle down.”

  “Hey, I have a surprise that might make up for your tough week.”

  He really did. It had taken some ingenuity to pull it off, too.

  Bex looked at him, her eyes green in the reflected streetlight. “Like what?”

  “I’m sure I just said surprise.”

  “I don’t like surprises. Ask Hadleigh and Mel.”

  He’d already asked them if she’d like this one. They’d both emphatically said yes, and if anyone would know, they would. “I’m doing my best to change your mind about surprises, and it isn’t just for you, anyway.”

  “That’s intriguing.” She sounded as if she meant it but still wasn’t thrilled.

  It was gratifying to drive into his lane with the house so inviting, all lit up in the distance. Once again he felt that true sense of home, of having arrived where he was meant to be.

  The kids scrambled out of the car. Time for bed. Dogs let out, teeth brushed, pajamas put on, the usual quarrel over some small thing between brothers but they’d been good at dinner so Tate ignored it and allowed them to work it out themselves. Then dogs back in, good-nights said, lights out. He left some of the routine to Bex as he went out to check on the horses. That chore was only going to become more demanding. This venture wasn’t going to be nine to five, and he was fine with that.

  This was his life, the life he’d chosen, and he wouldn’t change it, even if he could at this point. Kids, puppies, horses, his interfering father, Mrs. A. and all. Then there were friends…and Bex.

  When he went back inside, she was sitting in her customary chair with a book on her lap, her legs curled under her. The house was quiet. She’d changed into pajama pants and a T-shirt, looking deliciously sleepy and drinking a cup of tea.

  “Let me wash up and then it’s surprise time. By the way, Flora is an exceptionally affectionate horse.”

  “She’s a sweetheart.” Bex glanced at him dubiously and he read a flicker of apprehension on her face.