He grinned. “You don’t want me to stay, do you?”
“It’s complicated.”
“We’re getting married, Sinclair. Perhaps it’s time they got to know me again since I’ll be their fake son-in-law. And maybe you’ll feel better about me being a fake step-father if your daughter got to know me.”
I swallowed hard, because step-father wasn’t right.
“Okay. You can join us, but nothing about a marriage, fake or otherwise. I need time to figure out the best way to explain this.”
He held his hands up in surrender. “I’ll behave, I promise.”
I shook my head, but smiled in amusement.
We walked back to the house together.
“Mrs. Simms, it’s so good to see you,” Wyatt said as my mother hugged him.
“My, Wyatt, you’re a fierce-looking man now. And handsome too,” my mother said with a gla
nce to me.
Wyatt looked at me with his eyebrows up as if to say, your mom likes me.
Inside the house, Wyatt’s manners and charm continued as he shook my father’s hand.
“What brings you out here this evening?” my father asked.
“I had some business with the deputy mayor.”
At least he was keeping up the charade.
“Alyssa, this Wyatt Jones. He was a friend of uncle Ryder’s when we were growing up.”
“You’re the one that ran off to join the soldiers.”
Wyatt looked at me and then her. “Yes, I did. But now I’m running a cattle ranch.”
“Do you have horses?” she asked as we all sat at the table.
“I do. I have several. They help us do our work with the cattle.” He took an ear of corn from the platter my mother held for him. “Do you ride?”
“No.” She gave me a pursed-lip glare. “I want to but my mom says no.”
“Why? Your mom rode all the time growing up.”
I closed my eyes and waited for Alyssa’s wrath.
“What! You got to ride but I can’t? That’s not fair.”
I glared at Wyatt. “I got to ride a few times when Ryder and Wyatt would let me tag along. You don’t have a friend to ride with like that. And we can’t have a horse here.”
“Jasper said his daughter Julie had been offering lessons.”
I was about to throw my water on him if he kept making this hard.
“But she’s moved away,” I said tightly.
“I’ll tell you what,” Wyatt said leaning conspiratorially toward Alyssa. “You can come ride at my place. I’ll teach you.”