“You got a cutting board?” Amber rinsed off a tomato. “I knew it was Morgan Cross, not Thunder Morgan.”
Harper grabbed the board out of a cupboard and handed it to her. “True. I guess most people wouldn’t know his real name. I only know it because he was friends with my dad.”
“Can you tell me a little about him?” She sliced into the tomato’s red flesh.
“Careful, I’ve nearly de-fingered myself with that knife.” He winked. “He’s a good guy. Retired now.”
“How old is he?”
“I haven’t a clue. Probably in his late fifties or early sixties. He knew my dad from his days on the western slope. He worked as a ranch hand for my great-grandpa when he was just starting out. Once he took a few good-size rodeo purses, he left the ranch and went out on the circuit. Never married, never had kids. Or rather, I never knew he had kids. My guess is he doesn’t know either.”
“I seriously thought my mother made up the name to put on the birth certificate.” She dumped the tomato into the salad bowl and began chopping a few scallions.
“He’s a real person, and she told you he was a bronc buster, right?”
“Yeah. They must have met when he was in Texas doing a rodeo or something. She never told me more than his name and the fact he busted broncs. I stopped asking after a while. Then she kicked me out.”
“Why? Why did she kick you out?”
Amber sighed and tossed some bagged lettuce into the bowl. “Who knows? She was a drunk, Harper. I have no clue why she did half the things she did. I wasn’t much of an expense to her. I did all the cooking and cleaning. If I didn’t the place was a sty.”
“Did she work?”
“At the post office, yeah.”
“At least she held down a job.”
“As far as I know. Once I left I never looked back. I have no idea what she’s doing now.”
“You mean you haven’t seen her?”
“Heck no.” Amber tossed the salad to keep her hands busy while past emotion crept into her. She held it at bay. “Why would I want to see the woman who kicked me out of her house when I was only sixteen? If it weren’t for my friend Laura taking me in, I’d have been on the streets.”
“I guess I can’t blame you.” Harper’s arms slipped around her waist from the back. “I’m sorry life was so tough for you. It’s hard to imagine a mother not wanting her child. My mother loves her children so much.”
“You don’t know how lucky you are.”
“I was mad as hell when I found out she’d duped my dad about Angie’s paternity. It wasn’t fair to him or to Jeff, my uncle.”
“Angie’s real father, yeah I know.” Amber leaned back into Harper’s hard chest. Instantly her agitation lessened. Ahhh. What a remedy for the anxiety produced by the subject of her mother.
“But I’m beginning to understand why she did it.” Harper’s breath was warm against her scalp. “She did it for Angie. To give her a good life. She married a man she didn’t love so her child would have a great life. There’s a lot of selflessness in that.”
“There’s a ton of selflessness in that, Harper. Don’t hold a grudge forever.”
“You should take your own advice, baby.” He turned her around to face him. “Do you ever think about seeing your mother? Working things out?”
Her tummy churned. Here came the agitation again. “There’s a huge difference. My mother never did anything out of selflessness. Who in hell kicks out a sixteen-year-old girl? That’s plain selfish.”
“True enough.” Harper trailed one finger over her outer ear. “Maybe she had her reasons though.”
“Yeah. She couldn’t afford me plus the booze. Typical Karen Hedstrom priorities.”
“That’s her name? Karen Hedstrom?”
“Yup.”
“And you never knew your father at all?”