A Cowboy to Call Daddy (The Boones of Texas 4)
“What are we talking about?” Their father joined them.
“Where’s Eden?” Renata asked.
“She got a phone call so I thought she’d appreciate some privacy.” His father slid into his favorite leather recliner. “What are you two worked up over?”
Archer shot him a look.
“Fine, what’s Renata worked up over?” Teddy laughed.
“Eden,” Renata said, lowering her voice.
“Good momma, that one.” Teddy frowned. “That little lady has had more than her fair share of heartache.”
Archer stared at his father. “Why do you say that?”
His father looked uncomfortable, shifting in his seat before he answered, “Hell, son, she’s been through a divorce already. Her babies are still babies. You don’t throw in the towel unless something went seriously wrong. Not in my book, anyway. And she doesn’t strike me as the sort to do something without thinking it through.” He shrugged. “I caught some of her phone call... I’d say Miss Caraway’s life isn’t an easy one.”
Archer ran a hand over his face. He’d been so caught up in what Fester needed, what he wanted, that he hadn’t bothered to consider all of Eden’s circumstances. One more reminder that he was a self-absorbed ass. She’d had a long day. And he’d made it longer. Plus the scorpion. And his reprimand. He stood and headed into the kitchen. Eden sat at the table, her elbows resting on the polished wood surface, her chin resting on her palms.
“You okay?” he asked, sitting across from her.
She jumped, immediately wiping her face with her hands. Wiping away tears.
“Eden?” he asked, offering her the handkerchief he always kept in his pocket.
She took it, her murmured thank-you twisting his gut. He sat there, wishing she’d look at him—hoping he could gain some sort of insight into this woman. “Ivy likes purple. She colored all her flowers purple.”
Eden smiled. “It’s her favorite.”
“She asked if horses were as noisy as goats,” he continued.
She glanced at him, poking the chicken on her plate with her fork. “What did you tell her?”
“Sometimes.” He shrugged. “Maybe she should come down to the barn tomorrow? Meet one up close?”
She laid her fork down and crossed her arms. “Why?”
Her tone was a warning. He needed to be very careful how he responded to her. “She’d like it.”
She stood, carrying her still-full plate to the counter. “So it’s for Ivy?”
He followed her to the sink, watching her scrape the food into the trash. “Yes.”
“Not me?” She slammed the plate on the counter. “You’re not trying to get to me through my daughter? So I’ll stay and help you with Fester?”
He paused, frowning. “No, Eden. That...wasn’t my intent.”
Her hazel gaze searched his, brimming with more tears.
His chest felt heavy. He had two choices. Pulling her close, holding her against him, which wasn’t something he was comfortable with. Or trying to break the tension, tease her, even if he didn’t have the best record with that, either. “I might have tried it—if I thought it would work.”
Her eyes widened before she burst out laughing.
He smiled.
She shook her head.
“You didn’t eat much,” he said.