“Alice—”
Dave and his mother both said, “Butt out, Mike.”
“Yes, you’re embarrassed,” she continued, looking at him now with less anger and more understanding. “Do you think I don’t know the signs? You intruded here and now there’s no way out but anger.”
“Intruded.” Okay, maybe he had, but in his defense, he hadn’t expected to find his mother with— Don’t go there.
“Honey,” she said, “I’m a grown woman, and now that you yourself have found someone to love, I’m sure you can understand—”
Hysterical deafness set in. It was the only answer. Dave saw his mother’s mouth moving, but he couldn’t hear her over the roaring in his own ears. Mike and his mother? How long had that been going on? And what was he supposed to do about it? What could he do about it? Scrubbing both hands over his face, he took a breath and muttered, “Mom, stop. I beg you.”
“Huh.” She sniffed and picked up the plate of cake and cookies. “Oh, these look wonderful. Thank Mia for me since I’m sure you didn’t think of this.”
How had he come out to be the bad guy here? Dave gave up trying to talk to his mother and instead focused on Mike, who was watching him with a steady stare. The older man’s chin was high, his shoulders squared as if he were expecting a firing squad. Well, hell. Now Dave felt like an idiot.
They were all adults here and he had barged in without thinking. And he had to admit, if his mom was going to fall for a man, at least she’d picked a good one. Still, there were a few things that had to be said.
“I want to talk to you,” he muttered and turned to go outside.
“I think—” Alice said.
“Alice, honey, it’ll be all right.” Mike kissed her forehead and walked outside.
Dave sighed as his mother warned, “If you fire him, I will personally make you sorry, David.”
He blew out a breath, stepped into the cool night and stopped opposite his foreman. Mike still looked pugnacious, as if he were ready for anything. So just because, Dave punched him.
One swing and his fist slammed into the other man’s jaw. Mike’s head snapped back and his eyes flashed with fury. But he didn’t lift a finger to defend himself.
“I figure you had that one coming, seeing as it’s your mother and all. But hit me again and I’ll hit back.”
“How long has this been going on?” Dave demanded.
“I’ve been in love with your mother for years,” Mike admitted on a sigh. “She wanted to tell you but I wouldn’t let her.”
“Are you using her?”
Mike glared at him. “I might just hit you anyway. I love her. And now that you’ve got Mia in your life, I figure you can understand how that feels. If you can’t, I’ll leave the ranch. You won’t have to fire me. But know this. I won’t give Alice up.”
Everybody figured now that he had Mia he could understand love. Well, they were wrong. He didn’t understand it, didn’t trust it and didn’t see that changing any time soon. Need was different. It was clean. Uncomplicated.
Dave’s mind was racing. Everything was changing around him so fast he could hardly keep up. His world used to be so neat and tidy. He’d had complete control over his universe and he couldn’t figure out where it had all gone wrong.
“Oh, relax,” Dave told his old friend. “You’re not fired and I’m not hitting you again— Unless,” he added quickly, “you make her cry. Then all bets are off.”
“Agreed,” Mike said.
“Sorry I barged in,” Dave said. “Really sorry. There are just some things sons shouldn’t see.”
Mike snorted a laugh. “Guess that’s so. If it makes you feel better, I’ve about convinced Alice to move into the guesthouse permanently.”
“Yeah?” He smiled, then frowned and jabbed a finger at his foreman. “If you’re thinking you’re living there with her—not unless you’re married.”
Mike grinned. “My pleasure. Now…I’ve got a reunion of my own to get back to.”
Dave watched him go and shuddered. “No, some things a son should never even know about.”
* * *
Back at the house, Mia watched as Dave stalked around the perimeter of the lamp-lit kitchen, talking more to himself than to her.
“I don’t get it,” he muttered. “Love? How the hell could she be in love? She loved my father and that didn’t stop him from abandoning us.”