Texas Forever (The Tylers of Texas 6)

She shook her head. “Go ahead and eat. I’ll keep you company while I wait for Erin.”

Will forked a steaming morsel of stew and blew on it before taking a bite. It tasted as good as it smelled, and he was ravenous. When he glanced up, Rose was watching him. She had the look of a woman with something on her mind.

“What is it, Rose?” he asked. “Have I done something wrong?”

“Nothing like that,” Rose said. “I was just thinking what a shame it is that you haven’t spent time with our new farrier. We got to know each other last night. He’s a remarkable man. So intelligent and responsible.”

“So? If I’d thought he was stupid and careless, I wouldn’t have hired him.” Will broke off a piece of bread and dipped it in the stew.

“Oh, I understand that,” Rose said. “But maybe you should keep him around permanently. A man who’s that good with horses could be a real asset to the ranch.”

“An expensive asset. I can’t afford to keep him on past the roundup. Sky and Erin are plenty good with horses. And this ranch is a cattle operation. The horses have always been a sideline. Unless we want to start shoeing the damned cows, I can’t justify—”

“Oh, no, what’s this?” Erin had come in from the kitchen. She was staring at the flowers.

“We were wondering the same thing,” Will said. “Maybe you’ve got a secret admirer. Why don’t you open the envelope and find out.”

Erin pulled the envelope from the plastic clip that held it in place. Her pretty face fell as she opened it and read the message on the card inside. She groaned and shook her head. “Wouldn’t you know? It’s from Kyle.”

“Well, what does it say?” Will demanded.

“Read it yourself.” Erin tossed the card on the table, within Will’s reach, before she sat down.

Will picked up the card. Mostly for Rose’s benefit, he read the message aloud. “I am so sorry. Please give me another chance. I love you too much to let you go.” He looked up at his daughter. “Well?”

“Well, what, Dad? You already know what happened. I told Kyle I wouldn’t marry him and he was so upset that he wrecked the SUV. We could have been killed.” Erin dished up some stew from the tureen Carmen had set on the table. She handed a bowl to Rose and filled another for herself.

“I remember your story,” Will said. “But you never told me why you didn’t want to marry the boy. It looks to me like he’s really trying to redeem himself.”

Erin and Rose exchanged glances. Will sensed a conspiracy. But he was the head of this family. Whatever was going on, he wasn’t about to be manipulated.

“Dad, why are you so set on my being with Kyle?” Erin asked in a civil tone.

Will sighed. He

was tired to the bone, and this wasn’t going well. “Because I know who Kyle is,” he said. “He’s polite and well-spoken. He’s from a good family—a family in the ranching business. If you were to marry him, you’d be close by—not running off to some other part of the country like Beau did. Kyle is safe, and he seems to care for you. How many men would send you flowers like these? Does that answer your question?”

“But what if I don’t love him? What if I want to spend time with other people?”

“Other people?” Suddenly this was beginning to make sense. “Do you have somebody in mind?”

Erin’s expression reminded Will of the way she’d looked as a little girl, about to jump off the high dive at the pool.

“I’ve been working with Luke Maddox,” she said. “We enjoy each other’s company, and we want to spend more time together. But he insists on being open about it. He doesn’t want me seeing him behind your back.”

“And would you see him behind my back?” He cast her a stern look across the table.

“I’m not a child,” Erin said.

Will shook his head, feeling as if he’d been gut punched. “Erin, this is wrong in so many ways. You’re not even twenty-one yet. Maddox, I’m guessing, is at least ten years older than you are. Apart from his being good at his job, we don’t know anything about him. He could be a criminal. He could have a wife and family somewhere. Or maybe he’s a fortune hunter, with his eye on the heiress to a ranch.”

Erin seemed to flinch as each point of his argument hit home. Everything he’d said was true, and she had to know it. But he could tell that he hadn’t convinced her.

“Luke is a good man,” she said. “Even Rose knows it.”

“Leave Rose out of this!” Will snapped, his temper rising. “You’ve always had a good head on your shoulders, Erin. I’ve never had to forbid you anything. But I’m forbidding you now. Aside from work, in the open with other people around, you’re not to spend any time with this man. I know I can’t control you every minute. But if I find out you’ve been sneaking around behind my back, so help me, I’ll fire him on the spot. Do you understand?”

“I’m not hungry,” Erin said, pushing out her chair and standing. “I’m going to my . . . room.” Her voice broke as she turned away and fled toward the hallway.