The Cowboy's Unexpected Family

His heart hammered at the sight of her, his blood churning in veins suddenly too small.

She’d dressed that way for him. He knew it.

But she stopped when she saw him, and for a moment, one moment, her panicked face revealed everything. Disappointment replaced desire.

“You’re early.” Her voice was a death knell. Friends, he thought, bitterness creeping into his heart like poison. Friends don’t lie.

“Where is he?” he asked, and she took the steps down to him carefully, her face composing itself. Her quick brain was probably coming up with a hundred excuses and he couldn’t stand it. When she stopped in front of him and opened her mouth, no doubt to feed him another lie, he held up his hand.

“Don’t,” he said. “I know he hasn’t been working with you.”

“How?”

“Does it matter?”

Her dark complexion was pale, her cheeks red with a blush. “I guess not.”

“You lied.”

“It’s not like that, Jeremiah.”

“No? Is it like you’re lying to your family about your business?”

“Don’t—” She reached as if to hush him, and he stepped back, pinning her in place with his eyes. Beside him, Casey clung to his leg. Freaked out by the animosity between him and Lucy.

“Casey, go and wake your brother up in the barn. That’s where he is, right?” he asked Lucy.

“He’s there but he’s not sleeping,” she said.

“Well, he’s certainly not gardening with you, is he?”

Casey ran off, leaving them alone.

“You lied, Lucy. Right to me. About Ben…you know what kind of trouble he’s in—”

“I was going to tell you. I was, but I could see it was such a relief for you, not to have to be the bad guy again.”

“Don’t make this about me, Lucy. You lied. You.”

“Fine. You’re right. It started and I thought I could get him to open up and talk to me and it would all pour out, all of his feelings, and I could be the hero. But he just…he wouldn’t do what I told him.”

“Really? And you don’t think I have some experience with that?”

The look she gave him was naked, and he realized why he was so angry right now. It wasn’t about Ben. He was angry because he’d shown her more of himself, more of his despair and confusion, in one kiss than he’d revealed to anyone in over two years.

But she’d done the same to him and he turned it on her, a blade she’d inadvertently sharpened.

“Let me guess what this is really about. You didn’t want to fail again.”

She barely flinched. “Something like that.”

He put his hands over his eyes, rubbing his forehead. He wanted to hold on to his anger, his righteousness, but…damn it, as much as he’d revealed to her, she’d done the same, and he understood when he didn’t want to. He wanted to hold on to his anger a little longer.

“Hey, Jeremiah, you staying for dinner?” It was Sandra, standing next to her daughter, who looked about as guilty as a woman in a bright yellow sundress could look.

“No, Sandra, but thanks.”

“Are you sure? Mia and Jack are coming too.”

“Sounds like a party. But we’ve got to head home.”

“Next time then?”

Lucy hung her head for a moment and he felt bad for her, he really did. She was carrying so many damn lies right now, it had to be making her sick.

“I don’t think there’s going to be a next time, Sandra. Ben’s not going to be hanging around anymore.”

“What?” Sandra looked shocked. At least she hadn’t been in on the lie. “Why not?”

“Ask your daughter.”

He turned at the sound of Casey’s laughter and saw the highly unlikely trio of Casey, Ben and Walter walking across the parking area from the garage.

Ben had his hand under Walter’s elbow like the boy was keeping him upright. And he was smiling. Not a lot. Not like he used to, but more than he had in months.

He shot a quick look over his shoulder at Lucy.

“I told you, he hasn’t been napping,” she said. “I know it sounds crazy, but he was working with Walter.”

Walter? The thought did not inspire confidence.

“Hi guys,” Jeremiah said, walking toward the trio. At the sound of his voice, Ben’s face dropped its smile and the scowl came back. “You need some help, Walter?”

“I’m all right.” Walter stopped in front of Jeremiah and he felt Sandra and Lucy come up to stand beside him.

“Ben,” Jeremiah said, “you need to say goodbye.”

Ben nodded. “See you later, Walter,” he said to the old man, ignoring Lucy entirely.

Jeremiah shook his head. “You’re not coming back.”

“What?” Ben howled.

“The deal was you were supposed to work off the damage you caused to Reese’s car with Lucy. You haven’t done a single thing with Lucy, have you? You haven’t been working in the garden like you told me you were—”

Ben turned bright red and Jeremiah braced himself for a screaming fit.