Divided Interests (Southern Bride 3)

“Did Grams and Granddad ever date other people?”

He looked at me with an expression I couldn’t read, but then it was gone.

“Yes.”

I looked at him with a shocked expression.

“Don’t look so surprised, your grandmother was a beautiful woman. There were other young men who had their eyes on her, not just your granddad.”

I rubbed the back of my neck and grinned. “She was beautiful, no doubt about it.”

He stopped what he was doing and faced me. “Why are you asking?”

With a sigh, I leaned against the barn wall. “This whole thing with Paige… Granddad leaving her half of his house and me the other half. He has us on some sort of treasure hunt, if you will. I guess the reason he did it is in some chest or something.”

My father laughed. “Sounds like your granddad. He adored Paige and knew how much she loved that house. I’m sure he would be upset if he knew you wanted to sell it.”

The guilt in my chest made me look away.

“You want to talk about that? You once loved that house, son. Talked about raising a family there.”

“Yeah, everyone keeps reminding me of that.”

“So, why the sudden urge to sell it?”

“I thought I wanted to sell it. Guess I was having a moment.”

He lifted a brow. “And now?”

I pushed off the wall and walked back to Ranger, who was patiently waiting on me to finish saddling him up.

“Now, I don’t know what in the heck I want. I will admit my reasons for wanting to sell it might have been wrong.”

“Wrong? How so?”

I tightened the saddle, adjusted the reins, and walked Ranger out of the barn, my father walking next to me.

“Paige. It all comes back to Paige. I was angry, mostly at myself. For giving up on us, for my damn foolish pride. For hurting her. For her hurting me. Hell, I don’t know. A part of it was knowing Bianca would have an absolute fit, I know that.”

“And now, do you still want to sell it?”

I looked at him. “No, Dad. I would never sell that house, just like I would never sell the ranch.”

“Then why keep this charade up?”

With a grin, I replied, “Well, now it’s just fun, getting Paige all worked up. Seeing her get angry every time I mention buying her out. She’s not going to give up her half, I know that. That woman is more stubborn than a damn mule.”

“She always was a stubborn girl. Gets that from her daddy. Her brother Tom is just as stubborn, and a word to the wise: her daddy is pretty pissed off at you. Tom as well.”

With a nod, I replied, “I’m sure they are. They both think I’m trying to take away the house from Paige. I’ll stop by the Millers’ ranch in the next few days and talk to them.”

“Something else is on your mind, son.”

“I don’t know what to think anymore, Dad. Seeing Paige in that house, being around her again… I knew things with Bianca had been over for a while, and I didn’t want to admit defeat, but this whole chain of events gave me a good excuse to break up with her.”

“What excuse is that, son?”

I looked around the barnyard and swept my hand across it. “This. Home. The life I once wanted. I love my job in Austin, but damn, I’ve missed being me. Missed this place. Missed my family.”

“You have no idea how happy that makes me to hear you say that. I know your momma has been tickled pink since you, uh, broke up with Bianca.”

This time I laughed. “I know y’all didn’t like her.”

“It wasn’t that we didn’t like her. We just knew she wasn’t the girl for you. Hell, everyone in town could see you were only dating her because she was the polar opposite of Paige.”

“I won’t disagree with you on that, sir.”

“Figured as much. Now, let’s get back to the real reason you’re here. Is it Paige? The house? Your job?”

I faced him. “All of the above. Mostly Paige, I guess. She said some things last night that hit a little too close to home. I was up all night, thinking about it. She has this crazy notion that I’m comparing her to Bianca. That I don’t like her and that I’m only wanting to sell the house to hurt her.”

“There is a bit of truth in that one statement. You did want to sell it to hurt her.”

Swallowing hard, I had to look away from him.

“I raised you to be a gentleman, so I know you’re not comparing her to Bianca. I see the way your eyes light up when Paige is mentioned, so I know you don’t hate her. That leads me to think she’s spot on about the house, and she figured it out, which I’m guessing hurt her just as much as you’re hurting now, son.”