Her Small-Town Cowboy. Mia Ross

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СКАЧАТЬ the Kinleys’ lighthearted banter. Playing her role, she held up her hand. “Scout’s honor.”

      His gaze refocused on his daughter. “And you’re saying they want me to teach them?”

      “Everyone thought you were really cool when you came in for show-and-tell. Especially Peter.”

      “The boy whose dad died last year?” She nodded, and some of the skepticism left his eyes. Lily understood that he felt a kinship with the fatherless boy, and her estimation of the reserved horse trainer rose a few more notches.

      Maggie tsked in sympathy. “I remember hearing about that. Such a tragedy for those children to lose their father so young. I’m sure we can find a way to do something for Peter, at least.”

      “Well, we can’t tell him yes and the others no,” Mike pointed out in a resigned tone. Sending Lily a “help me” look, he went on. “If we offer him lessons, we have to do the same for everyone in Abby’s class.”

      She’d love to give him an out, since he was making no secret of the fact that he wasn’t totally thrilled with the idea. But Lily knew how much it would mean to several of the children, not to mention Abby. Playing host to her friends at the farm would turn her into a minor celebrity, and despite his standoffish demeanor Lily suspected Mike might actually enjoy it. “That’s the best approach with kids. That way no one feels left out.”

      “You should come, too, Miss St. George,” Abby breathed excitedly. “You could keep us all quiet and in line, just like you do when we’re at school. And Daddy can work with the horses, ’cause he’s good at that.”

      While Maggie didn’t say a word, her hazel eyes glimmered with her opinion. Abby’s glowed like a clear sky, but Mike’s were a murky blend of blue and gray. The color had more than a tinge of warning to it, and Lily was inclined to take it seriously.

      “I don’t know, honey. That’s a pretty big commitment for your father and me to make when we’re already busy with other things.” By Abby’s puzzled expression, Lily assumed she’d used a word beyond the girl’s six-year-old vocabulary. “What I mean is, we wouldn’t want to get started and then have to disappoint you and your friends because it takes too much time.”

      “You could just do a few lessons,” she argued, her eyes beginning to well. “I’ll help, I promise.”

      “I don’t mean to sound greedy,” Maggie said, “but the money would come in handy around here. If enough children sign up, maybe you could even take a few less wedding jobs,” she added, giving her son a prodding look.

      A glint of humor warmed his eyes, and he shook his head with a good-natured grin. “You sure know how to hit a guy where he lives. Why don’t you two schemers wait in here while I talk to Miss St. George outside?”

      Lily appreciated him giving her the chance to flee if she chose not to sign on, so she excused herself and followed him to the door. The screen creaked as he opened it and held it open for her to go out ahead of him. When they reached the far end of the rambling porch, he leaned back against the railing and folded his arms with a sigh. “Sorry about that. I had no clue that was coming.”

      “A Kinley tag team,” she commented with a light laugh. “They’re good.”

      “Tell me about it.” After a moment, he went on. “Look, if you’re not into this, it’s really no big deal. Riding herd on a bunch of rug rats isn’t my first choice of things to do, so if it never happens, I’d be okay with that.”

      Something in his voice tipped her off, and she tilted her head with a smile. “You’re a terrible liar. The minute Abby started tearing up, you decided to go along and give her friends riding lessons.”

      “Yeah,” he grumbled, staring up at the bead-board ceiling of the porch roof. Coming back to Lily, he went on in a wry tone. “When they handed her to me at the hospital, I knew there’d never be anything I wouldn’t do for her. Sappy, huh?”

      “Sweet,” Lily corrected him quickly. “I guess that makes her Daddy’s girl.”

      “You must know something about that yourself.”

      “I used to.” The words slipped out before she could stop them, and Lily cringed at the slicing bitterness she heard. Attempting to blunt the edge, she continued. “Dad and I don’t see eye to eye on too many things these days. You must know what I mean. I’m sure your father wasn’t too excited about you leaving the family business to strike out on your own.”

      “Actually, he was. We worked well together, but he always knew I’d have to make my own way eventually. After Abby was born, he and Mom came out to visit us at the ranch I managed in New Mexico.” Pausing, he gave her a sad smile. “He said he admired me for being my own man and making a good life for my family. I was never prouder in my life.”

      “That’s wonderful. Good for him.”

      Lily couldn’t help envying Mike’s solid relationship with his father. With the St. Georges, sons went into the family business, and daughters were expected to marry someone of the proper standing to join the fold. Natalie had lived up to her obligation, but Lily simply couldn’t bring herself to stick with the plan. Everyone but her generous grandfather considered her one step shy of a straitjacket, but she was pretty sure her plucky great-grandma Katie was up in heaven cheering her on.

      “Doing your own thing isn’t easy,” Mike said, “but I can promise you it’s worth it.”

      He gave her a sympathetic look that told her he’d picked up on things she hadn’t meant to tell him. She wasn’t sure what to make of his perceptiveness, but in that brief moment, she got a glimpse of what Abby must see in him. A serious man with a dry sense of humor who loved her with everything he had and would find a way to give her the moon if she asked him for it. That’s how he must have been with his wife, Lily knew instinctively. And again, she couldn’t help wondering what had gone wrong between them.

      “What?” he asked.

      “Nothing.”

      “This ain’t my first rodeo, sweetheart,” he informed her with the scowl he so frequently used. “That look you’re wearing means trouble with a capital T.”

      “It’s none of my business.”

      “That never stops any woman in this family.” His tone was less cynical now, but only slightly. He gave her a “go ahead” look, and she decided this was as good a time as any to satisfy her curiosity about his divorce once and for all.

      “I’m just wondering about you and your ex,” she began awkwardly. When he didn’t respond, she took it as a prompt for her to continue. “You mentioned her earlier, but you didn’t say much. Was it a friendly split?”

      “It was pretty one-sided. Dana left us when Abby was a year old, and beyond getting her signature on the divorce papers, we haven’t heard from her since.”

      Delivered in a monotone, those words were devoid of emotion, but there was plenty of it crackling in his eyes. Bitterness and disgust battled for space, and the harsh set of his jaw told her precisely how much that betrayal still angered him. Lily had never met the woman, but she was human enough to acknowledge that she pretty much hated Dana, too. “That’s awful. My parents are divorced, but they both always made sure I knew how much they loved me. How could Dana abandon her family СКАЧАТЬ