But Jeff hadn’t been able to go through with it, especially after Maria had told him Angie was his daughter and not Wayne’s. He’d never imagined they’d created a child during those few nights of nirvana. He hadn’t lived as a monk, but damn if those times with Mia hadn’t been heavenly. He hadn’t had anything comparable since then.
He feared he never would.
It was a loner’s life for him from now on. Well, not exactly a loner. Angie had let him into her life and had promised to let him be a grandpa to her baby when it came. He counted his lucky stars for that. Harper and Catie had accepted him as well. Harp said he had a job and a place to live as long as he wanted, and it wasn’t just nepotism. Harper made no bones about the fact that Jeff worked harder than any other hand on the ranch.
“Aw, hell,” he said out loud, looking at his watch. Time to go to dinner at Maria’s house. He didn’t have a lot of time to clean up, but he’d go home and shower anyway. His daughter was visiting.
* * *
“For goodness’ sake, Mama, he’ll be here.” Angie breathed out loudly. “This baby has determined that my bladder is a punching bag. Excuse me.” She left the table.
“The man can’t be on time to save his own soul,” Maria said to Harper, his wife, Amber, and Angie’s husband, Rafe. They sat around Maria’s round table in the kitchen. No sense using the formal dining room for family. They were all more comfortable here in her big country kitchen.
Jeff stumbled in a few minutes later, his hair damp, looking luscious in jeans and a clean white shirt. “Hey,” he said, “sorry I’m late.”
Maria pursed her lips, but the young people all smiled.
“Not a problem, Uncle Jeff,” Harper said.
Jeff nodded. “I’m going to call the vet in the morning. The gray gelding’s frog is looking a little inflamed.”
Harper nodded. “Silverstreak? Yeah, he’s had a chronic problem for a while now. Give Annie a call.”
“I will.” He looked around the room. “Where’s Angie?”
Rafe laughed. “One guess.”
Jeff smiled. “Bathroom?”
“Yup.”
So he’s really just going to stand there and not speak to me? Maria tapped her foot. Well, fine then. Two can play this game.
Angie returned to the table and Maria sat down without nodding to Jeff. He sat down, once everyone else was seated, next to Angie.
Harper and Rafe began a conversation about the steers at Bay Crossing, and Jeff joined in. Maria had been a rancher’s wife for over thirty years, so she knew a thing or two about the business. But she kept to herself, moving her food around her plate like a little kid who was trying to make it look like he was eating something he didn’t want to eat.
She loved beef empanadas, but her stomach felt like lead at the moment. She couldn’t force herself to take even one bite.
Jeff smiled at the others, even chuckled a time or two. Why? Why was he able to get close to her children but not to her? How long would he make her pay for her mistake?
Thirty years.
The words popped into her head without so much as a warning.
Thirty years.
The amount of time Jeff had spent in prison for a crime he hadn’t committed. He’d paid dearly for his mistake of hanging with criminals when he was young. Thirty damn years. That was a hell of a long time—more than half his life so far.
Would he make her pay for her mistake for thirty years?
Her eyes began to mist, but she inhaled and quickly stopped the tears from forming.
Fine. Thirty years. She could wait.
She had no choice.
* * *