Cowgirl, Say Yes. Brenda Mott

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ well. Funny how a person could do business with someone for years without really delving into her social life. He supposed if Tess was going to be involved with Macy, he’d better make it a point to get to know her better.

      Wade looked around, noting the many pets Bailey had gradually added to her farm, beginning with a stray dog, a half-blind horse and a rogue tomcat. The dog and cat now lay curled at one end of the porch—Buddy, the blue heeler mix, too lazy even to bark; the battle-scarred tomcat content to soak up the comfort of the dog’s sun-warmed fur. In a nearby cage, several rabbits hopped around, nibbling at a handful of alfalfa not far away, and a trio of ducks waddled across the lawn on their way to the children’s wading pool, located in one corner of the yard.

      “I’ll head on over to her,” Wade repeated.

      Another animal lover.

      Another mother figure for Macy to attach herself to.

      Lord have mercy. He didn’t need this at all.

      “ARE YOU SURE your dad wants Amber to come live at the sanctuary?” Tess eyed the little palomino mare that stood with one hip cocked at the hitching post in the driveway. The horse looked well cared for, without a worry in the world. Not her normal rescue case. Why on earth would Wade Darland not allow his daughter to keep her own horse? What kind of father was he?

      She’d seen him around town plenty of times, and often talked to him at her father’s feed store, where she worked part-time, but she didn’t really know the man. And because she’d only recently taken over as Macy’s 4-H leader, she hadn’t yet run into Wade at a meeting.

      “Uh-huh,” Macy said in answer to Tess’s question. Then she quirked her mouth. “Well, I’m pretty sure, anyway. I’ve been talking to him about it.”

      “I see. Macy, why doesn’t he want to let Amber retire at your ranch?”

      Macy started to answer, then turned, instead, to see who was approaching on horseback.

      Tess looked, too, and her stomach knotted as Wade Darland himself rode up the driveway on a pretty, blue roan quarter horse. Macy’s comment left her with the feeling she was in for a confrontation. As though agreeing, her dogs trotted along the driveway, barking a warning.

      “Uh-oh,” Macy said, grimacing. “I think I forgot to finish my chores. And my homework.” She moved toward her horse as her dad halted in front of her and Tess.

      “Hi.” He tipped his well-worn cowboy hat, and Tess was treated to a glimpse of hair the color of rich brown soil. Then the horse shifted, putting her gaze directly in line with the sun.

      Tess shielded her eyes and looked up at Wade. “Hi,” she said. “Macy just remembered her homework.”

      “That, and you’ve got chores to do, young lady.” He frowned, but he didn’t appear genuinely angry. Maybe he wasn’t such a bad guy after all.

      His next words shot her last thought to the ground.

      “Macy, what are you doing here? You know better than to take off without telling me or leaving a note.”

      It wasn’t the note business that nettled Tess. It was the “what are you doing here” part, with emphasis on the here.

      “I am Macy’s new 4-H leader,” Tess said.

      “I’m aware of that,” he replied. “But that doesn’t excuse my daughter taking off without leaving word.” He turned once more to Macy and repeated his question.

      “I’m sorry, Dad,” Macy said, not looking so at all. “I just wanted to go for a ride and see Bailey’s twins again.”

      “And?”

      Wade seemed to know his daughter better than she thought.

      Macy shifted from one foot to the other, clutching Amber’s reins.

      “And talk to Tess about Amber,” she muttered, staring down at her feet as she scuffed the toe of her boot against the gravel driveway.

      “What?”

      “And talk to Tess—” Macy began, speaking more clearly.

      “I heard you.” Wade frowned. “Macy, we’ve already been over this.” He glanced Tess’s way. “Now’s not the time. We’ll talk some more when we get home.”

      “But, Dad…”

      “Macy.” Wade gave her a firm look. “You heard me. Come on. Get on your horse and let’s go.”

      He focused on Tess, turning the blue roan so that the sun was no longer in Tess’s eyes.

      “Sorry if Macy’s been pestering you,” he said. “We’ll be going.”

      “Hold up a minute.” She laid her hand on the roan’s muzzle, stilling Wade’s pull on the reins. “Macy isn’t pestering me. She came over here to talk to me about giving Amber a permanent home.”

      The sun-bronzed color in his face deepened, along with the scowl creasing his forehead. He was a good-looking man, she’d give him that, but right now his expression did nothing to add appeal to his charmless demeanor.

      “She shouldn’t have done that,” he said. “I told her not to.”

      “Why?” Folding her arms, Tess challenged him with the single word.

      “What do you mean, why?” He scowled some more. “There’s no reason for asking, that’s why. We’ve got a ranch of our own, and when the horses can no longer serve a purpose, they’ll go to the sale barn.”

      Now it was Tess’s turn to scowl. “The sale barn? Wade, you know what happens to horses that go there. At least the ones past their prime.”

      He shot her a glare that said she’d overstepped her boundaries, but she didn’t care. Idiots like him made her rescue work necessary.

      “I’m not going to argue with you on this, Tess. It’s none of your concern.”

      “Is that right?” She frowned at him. “I’d say it is my concern when your daughter comes to me practically in tears because you aim to ship her horse off to the kil—to the auction.”

      “I said I wasn’t going to argue with you.” He spoke the words evenly, but his hazel eyes showed irritation at her. “Come on, Macy, we’re burning daylight.”

      “Burning daylight?” Tess scoffed. “You’ve been watching too many John Wayne movies, Wade. Maybe you ought to spend less time with your remote control and more time finding out what’s truly important to your daughter.” As soon as the words were out, she knew she’d overstepped. She really didn’t know Wade well enough to speak to him that way, but when people acted as though animals were disposable—useful today, dumped tomorrow—it made her furious.

      He clenched his jaw. “What did I say?” he reiterated. “The horse is none of your concern, either. Macy, come on!” Without waiting, he thumped his heels against the roan’s sides, making the gelding jump into a trot.

      Tess СКАЧАТЬ