“Did they ever talk about getting a divorce?” he asked, his tone gentle.
She nodded. “They’ve hurled that word at each other on a daily basis for as long as I can remember. But neither one of them ever intend to carry through with it.”
Lane frowned. “Was it because of not wanting you to come from a broken home?”
“No, it was something much simpler than that,” she answered. “In fact, I don’t think my becoming a child of divorce even crossed their minds.”
“How could it not?” he asked, frowning.
“They were too busy trying to figure out a way to get around the state divorce laws.” She smiled at his skeptical expression. “California is a community property state and they would have had to divide everything equally. Neither of them wanted the other to get any part of their assets. They both wanted it all.”
“I’m sure they would both have wanted you,” Lane said, sounding more sure of that fact than she was.
“Maybe if they had ever come to an agreement about the bank accounts and property, they might have discussed it,” she said, rising from her chair to refill her coffee. Taking a mug from the cupboard, she poured Lane a cup of the steaming brew as well, then set it in front of him. “But I’ve often wondered if they would have argued as passionately about who got custody of me as they did over the money and the house—if they’d ever gotten that far along in the discussion.”
When she sat down, he reached over to cover her hand with his. “I’m sure you were their most important consideration, Taylor. I know it didn’t seem that way at the time, but I’m betting that you never doubted that they loved you.”
She shook her head. “No, that was never an issue. I always knew they both loved me very much.”
“And they’re still together?” he asked. “Even now that you’re grown and have a place of your own?”
“Yes.” She shrugged. “I assume it’s because whoever outlives the other wins and gets everything.”
“That could be,” he admitted, lightly touching her cheek with his knuckles. “But it might be that’s just the type of relationship they have. They bicker a lot, but deep down they love each other. I’m not saying that’s definitely the case with your parents, but there is that chance.”
“I suppose it’s a possibility,” she admitted, stopping herself just before she started nibbling on her lower lip.
Lane’s slow grin caused her pulse to race. “Now, I’m going to move to the opposite side of the table.”
Confused, she frowned. “Why? Aren’t you supposed to be showing me how to play?”
“That’s why I’m moving across the table from you.” His deep chuckle as he moved to the chair opposite her caused warmth to spread throughout her body. “If I don’t put a little distance between us, I’m going to be tempted to take you in my arms and kiss you until a poker lesson is the last thing on either of our minds.”
Five
Two hours after he moved to the other side of the table, Lane sat back in his chair and smiled at the woman seated across from him. “I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for a break,” he said, rotating his shoulders. “It’s a nice day. What would you say about going for a horseback ride?”
“Actually, that sounds pretty good,” she said, smiling. “It’s getting close to lunchtime. I could pack some sandwiches and we could find a nice shady spot for a picnic down by the creek.”
“While you get those ready, I’ll go saddle the horses,” he said, rising to his feet. “Was there a particular horse you rode when you were here to visit Ben?”
She nodded. “The buckskin mare is mine. Grandpa gave her to me for my sixteenth birthday.” Looking uncertain, she asked, “Has anyone been riding her?”
“I think Judd told me someone tries to ride her at least once a week,” he said, referring to the ranch foreman. “Why?”
“Horses that haven’t been ridden in a while can get ornery,” she said, smiling. “I just wanted to know what to expect.”
Lane grinned as he grabbed his hat from the peg beside the door and put it on. “Not in the mood for a rodeo, huh?”
Her laughter sent a shaft of heat straight through him. “I haven’t ridden in several years and I’m going to be sore enough as it is. I’d rather not end up with a broken bone or two on top of that.”
“There’s a set of insulated saddlebags in the pantry and there should be a couple of ice packs in the freezer,” he said, reaching for the doorknob. “When you get everything ready, call the barn and I’ll bring the horses up to the house.”