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The Marriage Season Page 16


  And Randolph, was it? They’d met before, which had already been established. Tate had the impression now that they’d disagreed in the past. It could be political, since they were both involved in campaign funding and charity work, but he didn’t want the details of whatever had inspired such acrimony.

  “It’s a beautiful morning. Do you want to walk out and see the site? My partner thinks we should build twice as many stalls as we originally intended, if we can find the capital to do so. In addition to an office, I’d like to have an apartment attached. With that many horses, a stable manager could live there full-time. I have no qualms about running the business, but I’m going to have to hire some hands.”

  “That sounds well thought-out to me.”

  “He gets that from my side of the family,” his father snapped.

  Mrs. A. placed her hand on Tate’s arm and acted as if his father hadn’t even spoken. “Lead the way.”

  He noticed she was wearing at least two-inch heels, thought of the rutted driveway and decided he might just have landed in hell.

  *

  HADLEIGH’S KITCHEN WAS WARM and the tea delicious, and since both of her best friends were addicted to the lemon-cream pastries now, Bex was welcomed with open arms.

  “I brought chocolate doughnuts, too,” she remarked as they all sat down.

  Hadleigh waved a hand. “Take them for the boys. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m off chocolate. How is that possible? Remember college? That was practically my whole diet, other than an apple here and there. This baby does not like chocolate.”

  Melody shuddered. “I’m suddenly so opposed to anything with tomato in it that I can’t even have ketchup. I love tomatoes, but not right now. Let’s talk about maternity jeans instead. I’m thinking I might wear them all the time, even after the baby comes. Takes comfy to a whole new level.”

  Considering that Mel was naturally slender, Bex laughed. Today, she was gorgeous in a pink smocked top.

  Hadleigh laughed, too, and nodded. “I know what you mean.” She turned to Bex. “Now, tell us about the fishing trip. And we need an update on Tara. Not to mention your message last night.”

  Mel chimed in, licking some cream off her fingers, “We’re really boring these days, so we have to live through you. I went to bed at eight-thirty last night. Seriously!”

  Bex lifted her hand and pointed at the third charm on her bracelet. “I’m thinking…”

  “He’s the one. The One?” Mel looked delighted. “Perfect! Airplane charm. Pilot man.”

  Hadleigh’s smile was equally genuine. “I’m really glad, Bex. You deserve to be happy. The minute I met Tate Calder I thought of you. He seems so great. You have a lot of things in common, too.”

  They’d both suffered losses, but their stories were not the same. What he’d gone through and what she had were very different experiences. She wasn’t sure which was worse.

  “He is great. Considerate. Smart—”

  “Good-looking. Like, really hot.” Mel was her usual forthright self. “That doesn’t hurt. I’m just sayin’…”

  Bex couldn’t agree more. Up close and personal, he was even better. “Tara is in Denver. Josh is here, and she promises me Greg will stay out of the picture once he figures out she’s gone for good.”

  “That leaves you holding the bag, doesn’t it?” Hadleigh’s brow furrowed. “She’s asking a lot of you.”

  “I adore Josh. I don’t mind.”

  “You might later,” Mel observed, her gaze holding concern. “I’m worried about that.”

  “I’ll never regret taking care of him.”

  “Jeez, I know that, but will you regret giving him back?”

  Now that was a poignant question. Bex bit into one of the chocolate doughnuts. “How can I possibly answer? It’s not up to me.”

  “Yeah, but it just seems wrong for you not to have a say in this. For you and Josh to be subjected to the whims of two irresponsible people.”

  Bex’s eyes filled with tears. She was a dreamer, but she was a realist, too. “I keep waiting for life to be fair, and it just isn’t working out.”

  Hadleigh had a way of getting to the point without saying it directly. “Two boys? Maybe three? I’m worried about one small baby. Dump three on me and I’d be a goner.”

  That was all.

  Mel was more straightforward. “Josh would be better off with you. Spence would totally back me up. His aunt is one of the best people on this earth. But no one can ask that of another person who isn’t willing.”

  “I’m willing enough.” She sighed. “Could it be more complicated?”

  “It could.” Hadleigh smiled. “You could have two really pregnant bridesmaids, be marrying the father of two boys, caring for your nephew while your sister’s in the middle of a divorce, and trying to expand your business.”

  “He hasn’t brought the subject up at all.”

  “Marriage?”

  “Yep, that’s the one.”

  She would never explain the details of what had happened with his wife, not even to Hadleigh and Mel, not without his permission. It wasn’t her story to tell. And the fact that he’d confided in her and almost no one else made her feel privileged. And trusted—a trust she would never abuse. But she did add, “His first marriage was unhappy.”

  With typical loyalty, Hadleigh said, “You’re not her. Tripp wasn’t happy the first time around, either.” As if that solved the problem.

  Bex doubted Tripp had had quite the same experience of finding out that his wife had been married before, was a thief who’d betrayed her family, changed her name and had a child—and never mentioned any of those tidbits of information. “All I’m saying is that he has no problem saying the word love, but marriage doesn’t seem to be in his vocabulary.”

  Mel pursed her lips, looking thoughtful. “It’s early days yet. Spence wasn’t exactly rushing me to the altar, either. It took a while before he jumped on that train. Don’t sell Tate short, Bex.” She paused delicately. “Have you… I mean…you know.”

  Bex had to laugh at the idea of two pregnant women dancing around the subject of sex. She widened her eyes. “I guess I don’t get the question. No, I don’t know. What?”

  Melody pointed the last bite of her lemon pastry directly at her. “If this wasn’t so good, I’d throw it at you.”

  Hadleigh said, “I feel like I’m at a slumber party. Did he kiss you? Was it good? Are you going on a second date? If anyone at this table giggles, I’m not going to answer for the consequences. We aren’t sixteen anymore. So are you sleeping with him or not?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good?”

  “Double yes.” The night before it had been a triple yes.

  “See how simple that was?” Hadleigh gave Melody a significant look, and then they all burst out laughing.

  Bex glanced at the clock. “I should probably check my messages and then go out to the house to see how it all went. I didn’t realize when I asked Mrs. A. if she might want to invest that she knew Tate’s father and that they don’t like each other. I swear I was trying to help Tate and Doc Cameron, but we all know that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I’m guessing that he’s on that very road this morning. I’m feeling guilty about it, but I’m not sure why.”

  “Tripp thinks it’s hilarious. That man can have a questionable sense of humor, though. He predicts a bidding war that will become part of Wyoming history.” Hadleigh got up hastily. “Excuse me, but if I start laughing again, there could be trouble. I don’t think I’ve gone to the bathroom in the past fifteen minutes. A record for me right now.”

  “It is,” Mel confirmed. Then she got up, too. “I have something for you. Do you want to see the clock?”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  TODAY HADN’T BEEN the most auspicious day of his life.

  On the one hand, both his father and Mrs. A. were willing to invest in the larger stable. On the other hand, the bidding war was out of control.

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nbsp; Or his control, anyway.

  It was the dream of any person trying to start up a business, and a nightmare in the making.

  When they’d driven away, Tate had been extremely relieved. If, in some alternate universe, he’d remotely imagined them getting along, he’d have suggested they both invest, but that sounded like a catastrophe he wanted no part of.

  To his consternation, they’d suggested it. During an acrimonious argument that didn’t even include him, they’d hammered out the details, and every single time he’d attempted to say anything, he was shot down so he finally gave up.

  It was going to be quite a stable.

  Nate Cameron and his contractor were thrilled. He was the one who’d be mopping up the blood, so he wasn’t nearly as excited.

  When his phone rang, he was more than grateful to see Bex’s number pop up. She asked, “How did it go?”

  “I’m fairly sure I’m not going to survive this.”

  “That good, huh?”

  “I hear the laughter in your voice. You’ll pay for that.”

  “I want to hear the details first.”

  “You’ll get them tonight. I want to have dinner at home. The two of us. A glass of wine, a normal conversation and maybe even some civility. Possible?”

  “What about the boys? Don’t you mean the five of us?”

  He sighed. He’d thought the kids could have their dinner first, then disappear quietly to do their homework. Not too likely—another alternate universe idea. “Okay, you’re right. Five. Two isn’t possible,” he conceded. “What kind of wine goes with hamburgers? The kids can have juice.”

  “Wine with hamburgers? Red, I guess. Did your father leave already?”

  He’d pick out a suitable merlot. “His mission to complicate my life was apparently accomplished. Yes, he took off. I was afraid he and Mrs. Arbuckle were going to drag race each other down the driveway.”

  “I’d love to have seen that.”

  “Will you and Josh spend the night again?” Until he knew Tara had informed Greg of her plans, he was going to remain worried. He’d been trying all day to figure out how to camp out in front of Bex’s front door with two children sleeping in his truck if she said no.

  “I appreciate the concern. Greg hasn’t contacted me yet.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  “I called the school. He hasn’t said anything to them, either. Maybe Tara actually knows him better than I thought. He isn’t interested in Josh, and Josh isn’t interested in him.” Her voice broke. Just a fraction. “It makes me so sad, Tate.”

  “I know.” He really did. It made him sad, too, at least for Josh. And angry. At Greg. He also noticed that she hadn’t answered his question.

  “I’ll bring a salad. And maybe some mac and cheese.”

  “Adam won’t leap up and down about the first, but I know that won’t surprise you. The second offering he’ll go for because that’s his all-time favorite food. Ben and Josh will eat both.”

  “If I was going through this alone—”

  “You’d manage fine, but we’re good together.”

  He could hardly believe he’d just said that…but he had. And he’d meant it, too.

  To gloss over his response—and what it revealed about his feelings—he moved on. “Here’s an idea. Do you want to have dinner at the ranch house tonight? Not everything’s done, but there are working bathrooms now and the kitchen is almost finished. The boys can run around outside.”

  Wasn’t that the point of it all? To give them an upbringing that included space and horses and vivid blue skies with snow-capped mountains in the distance. No traffic, virtually no crime and the freedom to run and play.

  “That sounds perfect. Um, has the kitchen been painted yet?”

  He found that an interesting question. “They were working on it when I left. Why?”

  “No reason. What time do you want us to come out?”

  “I’ll pick the boys up from school, including Josh. Whenever you’re ready is fine. We’ll be there. I want to go over the new plans with the contractor now that the game has changed. By the way, my father didn’t say anything about hotels. He was too busy arguing with Lettie Arbuckle. So at least I dodged that conversation. Maybe we should have champagne with our burgers to celebrate the event.”

  “I’ll buy some.” Bex laughed. “After all, it’s supposed to go with everything.”

  When the call ended, Tate rubbed his forehead and propped his elbows on his desk. His rocky relationship with his father always made him consider how he dealt with his sons. Loving someone didn’t necessarily lead to a perfect relationship. In fact, as he knew from experience, there was no such thing, even though Tripp and Spence had ended up in marriages that were as close to perfect as marriage got. People were individual, and they handled life’s joys and problems in their own unique ways. Accepting that someone else’s way might not be yours wasn’t easy. Especially if you disapproved of the other person’s approach.

  Look at Bex and her sister, for instance.

  That neither of Josh’s parents was taking care of him was beyond the scope of Tate’s imagination, but then, maybe they knew Bex would be better at it than either of them. At this particular time, anyway.

  The three boys came out of the school together, and when they saw him, ran with flattering eagerness in his direction.

  No, he was mistaken. Bex had also arrived and was holding a magic cookie box, which they could see from a distance. His boys dashed past him as if he didn’t exist.

  Turning, he had to say, “That’s not playing fair, you know.”

  Unabashedly, she grinned. “I left work early today and I’d already stopped off at the bakery so Hadleigh and Mel could get their fix. I would’ve told you on the phone, but—”

  “This was more fun.”

  “You bet.” Her eyes held that sparkle he found so captivating. She wore a little red cap patterned with snowflakes; it matched her sweater. The boys milled around her, and several of their friends joined in as she passed out cookies.

  “That is purchased popularity,” he informed her, hands in his pockets. “Shameless bribery.”

  “I don’t deny or defend my actions.”

  “Doesn’t matter. The truth is, I love you for you.”

  “I’d offer you a cookie but I seem to be fresh out.” She displayed the empty box.

  The word love made her uncomfortable. He saw that. The word marriage made him want to run. “That seems to be the case,” he said drily. “Will you take the boys, while I stop at the grocery store? I need supplies for our ranch picnic.”

  Adam didn’t need to be asked twice. He grabbed her hand and announced, “I want to go with Aunt Bex.”

  Obviously, Tate needed to think ahead and buy cookies so he could stay in favor, too.

  *

  DINNER WAS LIKE a continuation of their fishing vacation, with the boys bickering but getting along, running amok and tossing a baseball around, their boundless energy reminding Bex of cherished childhood days.

  Adam even ate some of her salad. Tate declared it an official miracle.

  “You’ve seen him,” he said with clear disbelief as they cleared the dishes from the counter. “If there’s green included, he’s just going to balk. I’ve tried everything. How did you do it?”

  “Apparently, my special powers aren’t confined to fishing.” Bex raised her brows. “I just asked him to eat it.”

  “I’ve started believing in those powers.” Tate dropped the last paper plate in the trash bag he’d brought. He looked at her meaningfully. “Especially after last night.”

  There was no denying they’d been hungry for each other. Bex felt her cheeks warm. He wasn’t shy in bed, but she hadn’t been, either. She looked right back at him. “It was…nice.”

  What a dumb thing to say! The knowing gleam in his eyes flustered her even more. “Nice?”

  “Okay, very nice.”

  “I’ll take that bet and raise it to extremely nice.�
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  “This isn’t a game of poker.”

  “I’m the Old Maid champion, please don’t forget. You aren’t even in my league.”

  “You lost every time, Calder.”

  “Not last night.”

  “I want to see the stable plans,” she declared, skirting the subject. “I’m dying to see what the war between your father and Mrs. A. produced.”

  He crossed his arms and shook his head. “I think we ended up with a small airport, a strip mall and five hundred stalls or so. I might as well not have been in the room. They were tossing around numbers like confetti at midnight on New Year’s Eve.”

  She wiped off the counter with a damp paper towel. “There are worse problems to have than rich people throwing money at you.”

  “True, but I’ve got some reservations about those two playing well with each other. I want to run a business, not be a mediator. Not that either of them listens to me, anyway.”

  “Did you ask your father what their problem is?”

  “No, never had a minute alone with him. If I had to guess. it would be a mutual bullheaded determination to have their way—but I’m just the person who stood there for an hour or so, trying to get a word in edgewise. Shall we take our wine out to the front porch? We don’t have any chairs but we can sit on the steps.”

  “In a minute? I have something to give you first. Well, we all do, Hadleigh, Tripp, Mel and Spence, too. It seems fitting that you should get a housewarming present after your first dinner in this house.” She removed a wrapped gift from her oversize bag, which she’d propped up against the wall, and set it on the counter.

  “Not necessary. Thank you.” He did look intrigued.

  “My idea. Mel and Tripp get all the credit, though.”

  “All Tripp can do is fly a plane and ride a horse.”

  “Oh, he’s got a few more skills than that.”

  When Tate seemed about to continue their mock argument, she nudged his arm. “Just open it, okay?”

  It seemed a little selfish to be the only one to see his expression when he unwrapped the gift, but she didn’t care. He held up the clock—face glowing with astonishment and gratitude—and it was exactly the reaction she’d wanted.