One Night Rodeo (42 page)

“I’d hoped to talk to both of you on this family matter, but since I’m limited on time you’ll have to fill her in when she gets home.”

If she ever comes home.
Kyle took the chair opposite her, secretly pleased that his mom already accepted that Celia would be part of their little family. “Fill her in on what?”

“A couple of things. First, I’m leaving Rick.”

“About damn time.” Then his gaze turned sharp. “He didn’t hurt you or anything?”

“No. He wasn’t particularly heartbroken about the breakup either. It just was easier to stay than to go for both of us. Second, I’m moving. Checking out places to live in Rawlins and in Muddy Gap.”

“Why Muddy Gap?”

“That’s where I’ll be working. Came about in a strange way. When I called Susan Williams to let her know I wouldn’t be attending your wedding shower, she remembered me from years back when I applied for a bartending job at Buckeye Joe’s and she hadn’t hired me. She thought I might run off with her husband.” She smirked. “So we’re shooting the breeze, talking about all the changes in the bar industry over the years, since we’re the same age.”

“Really? Because you look way younger than her.”

His mother preened. “I’ll take that compliment, you rascal charmer.”

Kyle grinned again. She’d called him that ever since he’d talked his way out of detention at age ten.

“Anyway, she’s burned out since her ex-husband bailed with that cocktail waitress. She wants to have a life away from the bar.” Her eyes gleamed. “So when you told me about the money Marshall left me, I called her and bought in. You’re looking at the new partner of the Buckeye!”

Stunned didn’t come close to describing how he felt. “Mom. That’s awesome.”

“I know. Isn’t it great? Susan wants me to start tonight. Introduce me to the regulars, that sort of thing. She’s letting me stay with her until I get my own place. After all the years I’ve slaved for others, this is a dream come true for me.” She laughed. “Being part owner in a bar. I almost can’t believe it!”

Her enthusiasm was infectious. “So that means free drinks whenever I stroll into the Buckeye?”

“You wish. But I will admit part of the appeal for me was moving closer to you. And any future grandbabies you and Celia might wanna give me.”

“Neither of us is ready for kids.” He scratched his jaw. “But I was thinking about buying her a dog.” That’s how desperate he was to lure Celia home. He’d contacted half a dozen different breeders in case she didn’t want another mongrel blue heeler like her beloved dog, Murray.

Kyle was going crazy without her. A minute at a time.

“Well, son, as much as I like dogs, I draw the line at calling a dog a grandbaby.”

“Understood.” He watched her fiddle and fuss with her buttons, which meant she had something else on her mind. “What else is up?”

“One other thing I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Shoot.”

“I was happy Marshall did one thing right in his miserable life by providing you with a place to call your own.”

“But?”

“But you’ve been so angry since this inheritance happened. At me. At Marshall. At yourself. Even at Celia.”

He looked away.

“I’m worried about you. This isn’t like you, Kyle. You’ve gone from being a happy kid to a happy teen to a genuinely happy adult. You never were resentful that I couldn’t give you all the things other boys your age had. You just made the most of what you
did
have. Now that you have everything you ever wanted…you’re not happy. And because you weren’t a morose kid I had to pry secrets out of, I never pressured you to open up to me. In hindsight, maybe I should have.”

“Why?”

“So we wouldn’t be at an impasse. I want to know what you’re thinking. I want to know what I can do to earn your forgiveness.”

During his alone time, it had come as a shock to recognize he hadn’t applied the “the past is the past” philosophy he’d taken with Celia to his mother. Should she have told him Marshall Townsend was his father? Probably. But letting his mother’s long-ago decision ruin their future relationship? Stupid, petty, and shortsighted. And mean. God. He’d been a
whiny little prick to her these last couple of months. She deserved better from him too.

As hard as it was to do, Kyle looked her in the eye. “First, I’d ask for your forgiveness for acting like a bratty kid.”

“Done.”

“As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothin’ to forgive. You did what you thought was right at the time. You stuck by it. I admire that. I have a lot of admiration for you, in case you didn’t know. And it sucks for Marshall that he didn’t get in touch with me, because I am a cool kid. Or so you’ve always told me.”

She whapped him on the knee. “Oh, you’re gonna make me cry.”

When she sniffled, Kyle stood and tugged her into his arms. “Mom. I love you. I am happy.” Or he would be as soon as he straightened out this situation with his woman. “I just had to figure some of this stuff out on my own.”

“That’s what Celia told me,” she said. “She knows you so well. You’re lucky, son.”

“I know I am. I’m hoping in your new life as bar owner you’ll make time to hang out with me and Celia. She hasn’t had a mom for a long damn time, and I’m more than willing to share mine with her because you’re the best mom ever.”

She cried harder.

He let her.

Then she stepped back and wiped her eyes. “Thanks. I needed that.”

“Me too.”

“When is Celia coming back?”

“I don’t know.”

Her green-eyed gaze turned sharp and mom-like. “Is everything all right between you two?”

It’d be easy to lie and slap on a happy face. But he couldn’t. His mother knew him equally as well and she would ferret out the bullshit eventually. “Not really. We had a big fight right before she got the call from Tanna. Then she left. I haven’t heard from her since.”

“At all?”

Kyle shook his head.

“Well, you know what you have to do, don’t you?”

“Ah. No. Not really. That’s the thing.”

She poked him in the chest. “You get your butt to Texas and bring your wife back home where she belongs. You want her to think you don’t care? Will you let your very first fight change the course of your marriage? No way, buster.”

“But it’s different now than when I was ridin’ bulls and could do whatever the hell I wanted. I’ve got livestock to take care of. And the last thing Celia said to me was to own up to my responsibilities with the ranch.”

Another two hard pokes in his chest. “And Celia is one of those responsibilities. The biggest one. Don’t you let her get away from you. She loves you. She looks at you the way I’d always hoped the right woman would. So you talk to your neighbor, or hire someone, or hell, even tell me what to do and I’ll take care of the dang cows. But don’t you let this go another day, Kyle. Not. A. Single. Day.”

The thought of his mom ankle-deep in muck in her high-heeled shoes made him smile. The thought of getting in his truck, driving to Texas, and having Celia in his arms in thirty-six hours made his smile even wider. “You’re right. Thanks for the kick in the butt when I need it.”

She kissed his cheek. “Honey, that’s what mothers do best.”

Ten minutes after his mom had left, Kyle was about to head down to Josh’s to beg for his help for a couple of days when Lainie’s vehicle pulled up.

He had to lock his knees against the fear that something had happened to Celia. Was that why he hadn’t heard from her? He threw the door open. “Lainie. What’s wrong?”

“Let me come inside. It’s cold out here and I’ve been on my feet all day.” Lainie unwrapped her scarf. She looked like she’d been crying.

Kyle managed a calm, “Tell me what the hell happened before I lose my fucking mind.”

She sank onto the couch. “Tanna’s mom died yesterday.”

Yesterday?

“Have you heard from Celia at all?” He shook his head again and Lainie sighed wearily. “I was afraid of that.”

Had Celia confided in Lainie about their fight? Or about their marriage? “Of what?”

“Stupid cell phones.” She held hers out. “See? Even I don’t get service here. And Tanna’s folks’ house is one of the few places in Texas where there’s limited cell service. So between the spotty service in Wyoming and you and Celia being without a home phone, I figured that’s why Celia called me—because she couldn’t get ahold of you.”

So Celia hadn’t told Lainie about the fight or the marriage license problem. Good. He’d let Lainie believe that crappy cell phone service was the culprit for Celia and him being out of touch with each other for four days. “What did she say? Is she okay?”
Does she miss me? Is she coming home?

“She’s…coping. She told me the funeral is the day after tomorrow.”

“That soon?”

“Yes. I guess grief has done some crazy things to Tanna’s dad and he just wants the whole thing over with.” Lainie glanced up at him. “You are planning to go to Texas? Because Celia sounded a little…lost.”

That twisted his heart and his stomach into a gigantic knot. “I was just on my way to ask Josh if he’d take care of things here for a couple days so I could go get her.”

“Well, not to overstep our bounds, but Hank and Abe have volunteered to pitch in and take care of your livestock. They figured it’d be all right even if you needed a full week.”

Stunned, Kyle just stared at her.

“What? Would you prefer to have Josh do it? That’s okay with us too.”

“No, I don’t know what to say. I didn’t expect the offer…not after all that happened….”

“You thought we’d just let you handle this on your own? Huh-uh. Family doesn’t work that way. Both you and Celia need to understand that. You both need to get used to it.”

He cleared his throat. “Well. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Admit you’ve always wanted a buttinsky sister-in-law, and pushy brothers-in-law. So for better or for worse, you’re stuck with us now.”

Kyle said, “I’m glad,” and meant it.

“Oh, and Bran said he’d help out. As did Renner and his foreman, Hugh. So we’ve got you covered.”

Again Kyle just stared at her.

“What are you waiting for? Shoo, man. Get yourself packed. It’s a long drive to that part of Texas.”

“But what if…”
She refuses to come home? What if she’s decided now that she’s got money to compete she’ll hit the road with Tanna again? How could I return to Wyoming without her?

“But what if…what?” Lainie prompted.

Kyle couldn’t voice his fears to Lainie. He remembered Pearl’s advice to always talk to his wife first about things. And that’s what he intended to do. As soon as possible. “Nothin’. I appreciate you bein’ the go-between, Lainie. But I’ll handle getting ahold of Celia from here on out, all right?”

“She said something along those lines too when I told her I’d relay the message.” She flapped her hand at him. “My God. You and Celia are two peas in a pod. Stubborn. Both wanting exactly the same thing.”

“A national CRA championship?” he joked.

“No, you’re both looking for a place to call home. She loved racing around barrels for a while, but she never intended to make that her life. Same with you and bull riding. It was a means to an end. Now you both have what you want. She loves you, Kyle, as much as you love her. I’ve seen you two together and I know you were meant for each other.”

“Damn straight.”

Lainie danced a little jig around him. “Besides, I get to say I told you so. I told you one day you’d find a woman who loved and appreciated everything about you. And you did. I just didn’t expect it to be Celia.”

Then you weren’t paying attention. Because it’s been her all along.

Chapter Twenty-four

I
t was one of the worst weeks of Celia’s life.

The somber mood in the Barker household. Tanna and her brother Garrett’s devastation was made worse when their father, Milt, handed down edict after edict. Bonita’s best friend, Rosalie, refereed between father and children, in addition to coordinating the food, handling phone calls and visitors.

Celia helped as much as she could. Staying busy kept the memories of when she’d lost her parents locked down tight. She’d taken over feeding the cattle and the horses to allow Milt, Garrett, and Tanna to deal with the most pressing issues. It also allowed her time away from Tanna’s grief, which was overpowering and all-consuming.