Blame it on Texas (4 page)

Megan wanted to smooth the wrinkles away, but she prudently kept her hands wrapped around her cold glass. "I take it you don't get along with her mother?"

Oh, geez, Megan. Can't you think of anything intelligent to say? Of course he doesn't get along with his ex-wife. That's why they're divorced.
Her dubious attempt at conversation was rewarded with a laugh and a lifting of those brooding brows.

"You could say that. She's been keeping me away from my daughter for months. Hiding or returning my letters, intercepting my phone calls. I was on my way to see Katie when my father had his stroke, and I had to come out here instead."

"That's awful! No wonder Katie thought you'd forgotten about her." She regretted her impulsive words when pain flashed in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

He shook his head. "No, it's the truth. Katie and I need to have a long talk, then I have to call my lawyer. I want her to stay with me for the summer and Sue Ann is throwing a fit." His fist clenched around the edge of the chair as he leaned his head back and finished his drink.

"That doesn't sound like an unreasonable request to me, especially since it's been so long since you've seen her."

"No, it's not. But Sue Ann likes to make me suffer as much as possible." He looked so sad Megan wished she could think of something clever to say to lighten his mood. But her tongue seemed to be tied in knots, and had been since she first saw him step onto the porch.

Instinctively, she reached a hand out and covered his. His head came up slowly and his gaze locked with hers. She pulled her hand back, but not before a shiver worked its way up her spine.

"Daddy, come quick!"

Katie's shout was a welcome distraction from the intensity of his reaction to Megan's comforting gesture. It had been a long time since a woman had touched him like that. The warmth of her small hand had reached all the way to his soul.

Logan shook off the longing her touch created and returned to the living room. Katie's face was alight with excitement. "What's up, Katydid?"

She giggled at the use of her nickname and thrust the phone into his hand. "Mom said I can stay. But she wants to talk to you."

"All right. You go into the kitchen and keep Megan company."

He watched Katie skip away before he lifted the phone to his ear, already dreading the conversation. Sue Ann wouldn't give in this easily unless she wanted something in return. He just hoped he could afford it. But, for his daughter, he'd pay whatever price Sue Ann demanded.

***

"Isn't it great?" Katie danced around the kitchen, making Megan laugh at her antics. "I get to spend the whole summer here. This is better than camping, any day."

"I'm glad for you, Katie. I'd love to spend the summer here, too. You'll have a wonderful time."

Katie stopped by Megan's chair and rested a hand on her shoulder. "You could stay, too. I know Aunt Carol wouldn't mind. You could help her make her soaps. And Daddy probably wouldn't care as long as you didn't get in his way."

Megan smiled at the child's naiveté. "No, that would be too much to ask. I'll stay a day or two, then I'll head back to Dallas. But thank you for the thought."

Carol walked back into the kitchen. "Dad's awake and demanding to see Katie and our visitor. Think you two are up to it?"

Katie started to race out of the kitchen, but Carol stopped her. "Honey, you know he's had a stroke, right?"

Katie nodded, and Carol continued. "He's cranky and ornery, and he's almost impossible to understand. He gets mad when he tries to talk and we don't understand what he's saying. Don't take it personally, okay?"

"Sure, Aunt Carol. I get the same way when I try to talk to Mom and she doesn't listen."

Carol's gaze caught Megan's and she gave a wry smile. "Let's go, then."

***

Megan waited in the doorway while Katie went to her grandfather's bedside. The old man's eyes lit up when he saw his granddaughter, and he tried to speak. The frustration he felt was clear in the twisted mouth and scrunched eyebrows. Katie leaned over and kissed his cheek, then sat on the bed and took his hand in hers.

His face relaxed as she began to tell him about her adventures and how she'd met Megan. When he tried to speak again, Megan thought she understood what he was trying to say. "Mr. Tanner? I'm Megan Flynn. Do you want to sit up?" She stepped into the room and walked over to the bed.

When he nodded, she leaned over and deftly pulled him to a sitting position, stacking his pillows behind his back. At his grateful look, she patted his hand and said, "You're welcome."

"How did you know what he wanted?"

Logan's spoke from the doorway and Megan turned to face him. "I took care of my aunt after she had a stoke. You either learn to understand them, or you go crazy trying to figure out what they need."

She felt a tug on her sleeve and turned her attention back to Logan's father. He garbled a few more words. "He wants some socks," she said. "His feet are cold."

Carol stood off to the side, her mouth open, but she hurried to get a pair from the dresser. She handed them to Megan, who pulled back the sheet and slipped them on his feet. His sigh echoed across the room.

"You mean, all this time I thought he was being cantankerous, and he was just uncomfortable? I feel awful." Carol's lip trembled and a tear slipped down her cheek.

Megan went to Carol and put an arm around her shoulders. "It's okay. He understands."

Logan moved to sit on the edge of the bed beside Katie, who was chattering to Charlie as though he was the same robust man she remembered. Maybe they should all learn from her example. Just because his father couldn't speak didn't mean he was unable to understand what they said to him.

Charlie's eyes were bright, his gaze fixed on Katie's pixie face as she continued to tell him about life in Baton Rouge. He looked happy for the first time since the stroke. When he reached out with his good hand to stroke Katie's face, she covered it with her own, holding his callused fingers against her cheek.

Logan glanced at Megan and found her watching the scene with a soft smile on her face. With her ability to understand his father, he almost wished she could stay. But that wasn't possible. She had a life of her own, and he had work to do. Work that wasn't getting done while he sat here wasting time.

"I need to get back out to the pasture. Black Bertha's due to calve at any time, and the south fence needs to be patched. I'll be back in time for supper." Logan stood and started to step away. His father grabbed his hand.

His dad said something Logan couldn't understand, but his eyes were earnest with the desire to communicate. Logan looked at Megan. "Do you know what he said?"

She tilted her head to the side and smiled at Charlie. "I think he said thank you."

Logan look down at his dad, feeling a little guilty about the way he'd acted at the hospital when Carol had first told him he would have to help out on the farm. Now his father was thanking him for something he'd practically had to be forced to do. Embarrassed, he nodded and squeezed his father's hand, then turned and left the room.

CHAPTER THREE

"Come on. You'll love it." Katie tugged on Megan's hand as she led her out the back door.

"But I didn't bring a swim suit."

"You don't need one. You can swim in your shorts and tee shirt. That's what I always do."

Megan followed Katie down a dirt path that wound through a pasture toward a stand of trees. Above the lowing of cows in the pasture and a dog barking in the distance, she heard the gentle gurgle of a creek, a whisper of sound that enticed her closer. A sense of peace settled over her like a warm blanket on a cold winter's evening, both comforting and satisfying. After the noise and bustle of Dallas, this was pure heaven.

When she stepped into the clearing, the sight took her breath away. In contrast to the parched earth near the house, the clearing was lush with green grass and tiny red and yellow wildflowers. A pool formed by a rocky dam glistened in the sun. A creek fed into the pool from the north in a cascade of rainbow-covered mist, then continued southward to join some distant river.

Megan knew enough about West Texas to know a creek like this was a treasure for any farmer. As long as the rains came, there would be plenty of water for the cattle and to irrigate the crops. No wonder Logan's father wanted to keep the ranch in the family.

"Isn't it great?" Katie shed her shoes and socks, climbed on a rock, and, before Megan could remove her Nikes, jumped into the water. "Come on!"

"I think I'll sit up there and watch you for a while." Megan removed her shoes and climbed onto the rock shelf above the pool to watch Katie until the heat finally drove her into the pool. She splashed and played with Katie for a while, then stretched out on the rock to sunbathe.

When she heard a commotion in the water, she lifted her head to check on the child. Logan stood at the edge of the pool and a Blue Heeler swam circles around Katie, who squealed every time the dog splashed her. Megan looked up at Logan and smiled. "He's beautiful. What's his name?"

A corner of Logan's mouth tilted up. "Blue. Original, huh?"

"That's exactly what I would have named him. I've always wanted a dog named Blue."

"Daddy, come swim," Katie yelled.

Megan watched the conflicting emotions cross his face as he seemed to weigh his duty to his father against time with his daughter. Finally, he stripped off his t-shirt and boots, emptied his pockets, and jumped into the pool, drenching Megan with the resulting splash. She was so mesmerized by the image of the broad, tanned chest, lightly dusted with black curly hair, she didn't realize she was staring until a spray of water slapped her in the face.

"Come on in, Megan," Katie begged.

When Logan nodded his agreement, Megan slid off the rock into the pond. She realized her mistake when she stood to shake the water from her face and saw Logan's gaze fixed on her chest.

She wasn't wearing a bra, and the thin tee shirt left nothing to the imagination. She moved to the middle of the pool until the water covered her shoulders. A quick glance at Logan earned her a wide grin that took her breath away.

He winked and turned back to Katie. "Have you already forgotten the rules, Katydid?"

Katie blushed and shook her head. "I'm sorry. I didn't know where Blue was, and I didn't want to wait. I thought it would be okay. I am twelve, you know."

"Twelve or twenty, the dog goes in the water first. Don't ignore the rules, honey. That's just asking for trouble."

Megan looked from one solemn face to the other. "I'm sorry, Logan. I didn't know there was a rule or I would have made her wait."

He shook his head. "It isn't your fault. Katie knows better. There are a lot of snakes out here and you never know when you might jump into a nest of water moccasins. The dog goes in the water first--always. It's better to lose a dog than a your own life."

Megan opened her mouth to argue that point, but closed it again when Logan pulled Katie to him in a crushing hug and closed his eyes. She loved dogs as much as she did most people, but Logan was referring to his daughter and in that case, he was right.

Logan released Katie and kicked back in the water. The scowl on his face was replaced by a wicked grin. "Now, Katydid, what's the punishment for breaking the rules?"

Katie shrieked and dove for the bank, but Logan caught her foot and tugged her under. Blue barked and swam to Katie, grabbed her shirt, and pulled her up. The three wrestled for a while as Megan watched, wishing she'd had a dad like Logan. One who could discipline without degrading, and who could turn a problem into play. Shoot, she'd have settled for a dad who came home every night.