Texas Forever (The Tylers of Texas 6)

“Really, Will—” Rose began, but he cut her off.

“Stay out of this, Rose. Don’t encourage either of them. You’ll only cause trouble. Do I make myself clear?”

Rose sighed and nodded. “You do. But I need to say something. You inherited the traits that made Bull Tyler great. But you also got his stubborn, controlling nature, and that’s what’s coming out now. If you don’t rein yourself in and learn to bend, Will, you’ll lose your daughter, just as your father lost Beau.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

LUKE HAD RISEN AT DAWN TO HELP WITH MORNING CHORES. HE was working in the stallion barn, forking fresh hay from a wheelbarrow into the feeders, when Will Tyler appeared in the open doorway.

Luke hadn’t seen much of the boss since his arrival on the Rimrock. But Will had struck him as a fair man, who trusted him to put in an honest day’s work. So far, their relationship had been distant but cordial. However, it was a very different Will who strode toward him now.

No words were needed. Will’s narrow-eyed gaze and the determined set of his jaw signaled trouble. And Luke was pretty sure what kind of trouble it was.

Luke laid the pitchfork across the wheelbarrow, straightened, and turned to face his employer. “What can I do for you, Mr. Tyler?” he asked, already knowing what the answer would be.

“You can leave my daughter the hell alone!” Will’s face was florid with rage. “She told me what was going on. You’ve got no business putting your filthy hands on her, or even talking to her.”

Luke chose to ignore the insult. “I would never hurt Erin, or bring her down in any way,” he said calmly. “I care about her, and she feels the same way about me.”

“Don’t you tell me how she feels!” Will’s voice was getting louder. “She’s an innocent girl! She has no idea what a man like you might be thinking. Turn her head with pretty words, and the next thing you know, you’ll have her down in the hay! Or maybe you think she’s got money, and you want to get your hands on the ranch. Whatever your game is, I won’t allow you to ruin her reputation and her life!”

At the far end of the barn, a couple of cowboys were standing in the open doorway, probably getting an earful. Either Will couldn’t see them or he didn’t care.

“Nothing you say can change the way I feel about her,” Luke said. “But you’re her father, and I respect that. If you want me to go, just say so. I’ll be out of here today.”

Will cursed and shook his head. “This is a warning. I’m not firing you, but if I hear you’ve so much as laid a finger on my daughter, or tried to talk to her alone, you’ll be run off the place with a shotgun, and I’ll see that you never work in this county again! Hear?”

Before Luke could reply, Will seemed to realize that he had an audience. Rage exploding, he swung his attention toward the two cowboys in the doorway. “What the hell do you two galoots think you’re doing?” he yelled at them. “Get back to work!”

As the cowboys beat a fast retreat, Will stalked out of the barn. Luke watched him go. He’d hoped for a different response from Erin’s father, but this was pretty much what he’d expected. At least he hadn’t been fired. But defying Will’s warning would only get both him and Erin in trouble.

He knew what would come next—seeing Erin from afar, aching to hold her, or even just to ask her if she was all right—and knowing that her father, if he chose to do so, had the power to separate them forever.

What the hell, maybe he should just leave. Staying would only stir up trouble. Erin could do better than a rootless man with a clouded past and nothing of his own but his truck and trailer, his gear, and the skill in his hands. She could move on with her life, find someone who was right for her.

He’d seen her drive away with Rose and guessed, from the direction they were headed, that they’d be working on Rose’s property again. If he truly cared about what was best for Erin, he would pack up and leave now, without even saying good-bye.

He would do it, Luke decided. He would finish the morning chores, have some breakfast, then pack his clothes and gear in the trailer, leave an address where his pay could be sent, and go. His leaving would be best for all concerned.

As the memory of Erin in his arms, her passion, her sweet, young body pressing against his, flashed through his mind, Luke’s lips moved in a silent curse.

This was a hell of a time to realize that he loved her.

* * *

Will’s day had begun on an annoying note, and it wasn’t getting any better. When he’d gone out to confront Luke Maddox, he’d been spoiling to inflict some damage. But the man’s quiet dignity and his refusal to engage in any kind of verbal shouting match, which would have given Will an excuse to fire him, had taken the wind out of Will’s sails, leaving his anger still unvented.

It hadn’t helped Will’s mood to hear that a valuable heifer had broken her leg in the night and had been finished off by a pack of coyotes, or to check yesterday’s mail and find, enclosed with his bank statement, a reminder that the payment on his loan would be due the first day of October, along with the annual property tax a month later. The thought of how much money he’d have to come up with, and the consequences if he couldn’t pay, almost made him physically ill. But one thing was certain. He’d spent enough time wringing his hands and worrying. Whatever it took, he couldn’t give up. He had to save the ranch.

It was time he talked to the bank again. If they wouldn’t redo the note or give him an extension—which they’d so far refused to do—he would need to pull himself together and come up with a realistic plan. Not just vague ideas, but solid numbers and projections on paper. How many cattle would he have to sell? How many horses? What about the land? Would the syndicate buy a parcel to expand the old Prescott Ranch? How much would they pay for what they wanted?

He would talk to people, make phone calls, get it all down in black and white. And he would need to involve Erin. If anything were to happen to him, the responsibility for saving the Rimrock would fall to her.

Last night, when he’d forbidden her to see Luke Maddox, she’d declared that she wasn’t a child. Fine. He’d allowed her to be a child long enough. It was time she stepped out of her girlish, romantic world and took on her duties as the future head of the Rimrock family.

Will hadn’t seen Erin since last night. When she hadn’t joined him for breakfast, he’d looked outside and noticed the missing station wagon. A brief panic had struck him. What if she’d run away? But then Carmen had told him that Erin and Rose had eaten early and gone to work on Rose’s property.

Will had masked his relief with a shrug. At least his daughter wasn’t with Maddox. But it was damned annoying that Rose had taken Erin’s side against him. Now he had two stubborn women to contend with.