Cattleman's Honor. Pamela Toth
had hired, but Emily planned to fix this one up herself. She’d hoped to enlist David’s help, but unless his attitude changed drastically, she couldn’t imagine him taking the slightest interest in picking out pictures and bric-a-brac.
She hadn’t done anything more about getting a dog, but she wanted to find one before she bought any livestock. She’d need a cat, too, once the remodeling in her workshop was completed. The contractor had promised to send a man out to repair the corral fencing next week. Fortunately, the small stable was sound. It would make a perfect home for the horses she planned to buy.
Emily hadn’t always been a city slicker. Growing up near Sacramento, she’d spent as much time as possible on horseback. Over the years she’d continued to ride on occasion. Stuart had never shared her interest—had even seemed to resent it—but she’d taught David to ride. His enthusiasm had waned in the past couple of years, but she hoped having horses of their own would revitalize it. He had to do something besides e-mailing his friends back home.
Meanwhile she removed the chicken from the refrigerator in order to fix his favorite dinner. It was nearly ready when he finally emerged from his room.
“Sweetie, would you set the table?” she asked as she mashed the potatoes.
Silently he complied, while Emily mounded the fluffy spuds into a bowl and fished around for something to talk about.
“Who was that guy I saw leaving right before I got home?” he asked, sparing her the trouble. “The one in the big black truck.”
As if they had so many visitors that he needed to be specific. “That was our neighbor, Adam Winchester,” she replied as she dished up some peas. “He made me an offer for this place.” As soon as the words were out, she wished she could recall them.
David froze in the middle of setting out flatware. “What did you tell him?” His hopeful tone made Emily wince.
She sighed. “We’re not selling.”
“Why not?” David demanded, his voice rising. “If you got your money back, we could go home where we belong.”
“We just got here,” Emily told him. “Won’t you please give Colorado a chance? Neither one of us belongs in L.A. any longer.”
He glowered at her, his knuckles white as he gripped the back of the chair. “I hate it here. The kids are all hayseeds, and they stare at me like I came from Pluto.”
Emily ached to see him so miserable. “What about that girl you met?” she asked. “Have you talked to her again?” She still hoped a few of the other students would be friendly enough or curious enough to make the first move.
He jammed his hands into the pockets of his baggy jeans, his shoulders hunching over. “She’s busy with her own friends.”
“What about the boys?” Emily persisted. “This is a small town, and it’s not every day someone comes here from another state. They must have noticed you.”
“Like I care,” he said with a defensive sneer. “I have plenty of friends.”
And a few enemies, too, Emily thought grimly, but she didn’t voice her thoughts. “Let’s eat before the food gets cold,” she suggested as she set the plate of chicken and the bowl of mashed potatoes on the table.
David poured milk for both of them. “Why can’t we just go home?” he whined, after they’d helped themselves and started eating.
Emily gave him a long look. “You know why.”
His cheeks turned red, and his mouth took on a sulky droop. “Aw, Mom. You just overreacted,” he said. “Nothing really happened.”
She set down her fork and lifted her chin. “We’ve been over this before. We’re here now, and we’re staying, so you might as well make the best of it.”
For a moment he glared back at her defiantly. Then he shifted his gaze, picking up a drumstick and biting into it without replying.
It was time for a change of subject. “I’ve been thinking about getting a dog,” Emily announced. “We’ve certainly got the room. Would you be interested in helping me pick one out?”
David had always wanted a pet, but Stuart hadn’t liked the idea of an animal shedding on the expensive furniture and carpets of the showplace in Brentwood. Now she watched the emotions play across her son’s face. Finally, after an obvious struggle, his brooding expression lightened, reminding Emily of his habitual sunny disposition until her divorce from his father. How much David had changed in a little more than a year.
“Can we look for a dog after supper?” He was actually smiling.
Emily had to grin at his enthusiasm. “I need to call on a couple of ads from the newspaper first,” she replied. “And don’t you have homework?”
David shoveled a forkful of mashed potatoes into his mouth. “Yeah, but only a little,” he mumbled. “I did most of it at lunch.” He swallowed and immediately took another bite. “I’ll do the dishes while you call.”
Chores had been one more thing she and Stuart had never agreed on, but she’d been adamant that David learn responsibility. Now that she no longer had hired help in the kitchen, she was doubly glad she’d stuck to her guns despite Stuart’s sneering remarks about women’s work. Had her husband changed so much over the years, or had she failed in the beginning to see what he was really like?
She hoped the people with dogs for sale were home. “Just for tonight I’ll do the dishes while you finish your studying.” She gave David a warm smile. Whenever she caught a glimpse of the sweet little boy she remembered beneath the cool adolescent veneer, her determination to keep her son safe at all costs was strengthened. She would have moved to the ends of the earth to protect him. Compared to that, the wilds of Colorado seemed pretty tame.
“Daddy, don’t you like the enchilada casserole?” Kim Winchester asked. “Betty and I fixed it special for you because last time you said it was so good.”
Adam blinked and glanced down at his plate, surprised to see that he’d only been picking at his food. “Uh, the casserole is great, honey. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.” He gave his daughter a reassuring smile, relieved to see her worried frown melt away.
Since Kim’s mother had left when Kim was little, Adam’s daughter was the most important person in his life. Call him overprotective, but he remembered how fiercely she’d missed Christie in the beginning. He was determined to make sure no one ever hurt Kim that badly ever again.
To convince her now that he really liked the casserole, and because he’d just realized he was genuinely hungry, he dug into the mixture of meat, corn and tortillas. She watched while he rolled his eyes and chewed enthusiastically. “It’s wonderful,” he pronounced, mouth full.
Apparently satisfied, Kim turned her attention back to her own meager portion. She was built like her mother, small and slim, and she ate like a bird.
As Adam made an effort to clean his plate before the housekeeper could scold him, his thoughts went back to his earlier visit to his neighbor, Emily Major.
Even though she hadn’t bothered to introduce herself, he’d already gotten her name from county records. When he’d first recognized her, he’d felt a momentary twinge of disappointment. He’d been right—she was new to the area. Too bad she would probably be leaving again as soon as he’d bought her out. Under different circumstances he might have enjoyed getting to know her better.
His determination to acquire her twenty acres hadn’t changed since she’d turned down his offer, but the negotiations looked to be a whole lot more entertaining than he’d first figured. Now that he’d had time to think about it, he couldn’t say he was all that disappointed she hadn’t given in on his first try. At least he had an excuse to tangle with Ms. Major again.
“You look like you just beat Uncle Travis at poker,” Kim said. “What’s going on?”