Carrying the Rancher's Heir / Secret Son, Convenient Wife. Charlene Sands
honey. Where’ve you been lately? Seems I got a ghost instead of a daughter. I only hear you rattling around. You’re up and out early every day.”
It had only been three days since she’d begun working at Penny’s Song. “I’m home every night for dinner,” she reminded him. “And you promised me you’d give me some space.”
“Space,” he muttered, reaching for a glass of iced tea. “You and your psychology mumbo jumbo. I’ve been letting you do what you want, haven’t I?”
“Dad, I’m nearly twenty-seven years old. I’d hope so by now.”
“You’re still mad about that Troy fella.” He forked a bite of his salad, swallowed and made a sour face.
Callie smiled inwardly. She’d been harping on her father for months to eat better. He hadn’t known what a green leaf was until Callie came home and insisted he lose weight. He wouldn’t agree until she played the orphan card. He didn’t want to die and leave Callie without a father, did he? He knew he hadn’t been eating right and even though he griped about the food she’d introduced, he had finally relented. And Callie even believed he’d enjoyed it somewhat, but more because she cared enough about him to want to keep him healthy.
“You have no right interfering in my private life. You know how I feel about that. And another thing, if you don’t want me changing my room, I won’t. But I will be moving into another one. One I can decorate myself. I’m not twelve anymore, Daddy.”
“You got that right. You never sassed me like this when you were younger.”
“I’m not sassing you now. I’m just telling you how I feel.”
“If decorating your room will keep you at home more, fine. Change the room any way you want.”
Callie knew her father ached inside with loneliness. He’d al ways been overbearing, but her mother knew how to temper him. With her gone, Hawkins had become even more demanding. She reached for his hand and covered it with hers, squeezing gently. “I won’t change my room. I’ll do up another one.”
He glanced at her with those big brown eyes that she’d inherited and nodded. “Whatever makes my little girl happy.”
Oh, if only that were true.
“So, where have you been off to every morning?”
“I’ve been volunteering my time for a worthy charity.”
Hawkins stared down at his bland broiled chicken, unable to work up any enthusiasm for the fare. He’d been eating fried chicken and mashed potatoes topped with sour cream and gravy until Callie had come home. She had to stifle a chuckle seeing him look like a little boy who didn’t want to eat his vegetables. He set his fork down and glared at her. “That charity have a name?”
“Penny’s Song.” The entire community knew about Clayton Worth’s pet project. He’d started it on his own, but when the news got out, he’d received a good deal of support and a long volunteer list from the town.
Her father frowned and narrowed his eyes at her. “You mean to tell me you’ve been going over to the Worths every day?”
She wasn’t nearly as intimidated by him as he wanted her to be. She reminded herself that she was living here to make sure he didn’t dig himself into an early grave. She could move out anytime she wanted. She didn’t have to put up with his ruthless, conniving ways. But he was her father and she loved living on Big Hawk Ranch.
“Yes, that’s what I’m saying, Daddy.” She kept her voice calm. She wouldn’t argue the point. “I’m going to work with the children that come there. I hope to make a difference in their lives.”
“The Worths aren’t—”
“It’s not about the Worths. It’s about the children and what I want to do.”
“You’d rather go there and give away your services for free than work beside your own father?” He raised his voice with condemnation.
“That’s your point of view, Daddy. Not mine. I’m—”
He slapped a hand down onto the table and it shook. “This ranch is your legacy, damn it.”
Callie didn’t jump at his theatrics. She cut into her chicken and took a bite.
He pushed away from the table, his face flushed with anger. “You can’t be going over there. I’m forbidding it. You know those Worths, they’d do anything to put me out of business. Been trying to for years.”
“What I’m doing has nothing to do with the cattle business.” Callie took a steadying breath, determined to get through this meal without a fight. At least, on her part. Her father was chomping at the bit, ready to argue his way through their fruit salad dessert. “And you can’t forbid me to do anything anymore.”
“Callie,” he warned in a tone that used to make Callie cringe. He rose from the table. “You know how I feel about those Worths.”
She looked up at him. “I never understood that, Daddy. Yes, you’re competitors but you’re neighbors, too. And neither one of the ranches has been hurting. You’ve managed to keep Big Hawk Ranch on top. There’s room for everyone, isn’t there?”
“With thinking like that, you’d have us in the poorhouse before I turned around.”
Callie tried a smile. “So maybe it’s best I don’t work for you.”
Her father’s face flushed with even more color. “Callie, you’re trying my patience.”
“Daddy, I don’t want to fight with you. Sit down. Eat your meal.”
He glared at the food on his plate and wagged his finger. “You call that a meal? That’s horse feed.”
Callie closed her eyes. Frustration mounted. She thought about the baby she carried—a Worth. She didn’t even want to think about her father’s reaction when he found out about his grandchild. But it wasn’t the right time to tell him. Tagg had to be the first to know. She hadn’t told a soul yet and it would have to stay that way for now.
Callie rose, her appetite gone. “Well, then, we’ll have some really healthy horses in our stables. Because they know what’s good for them. They won’t be dying of a coronary anytime soon.”
She walked past her father and out the front door.
Before she was out of earshot, she heard her father call to the cook. “Mattie, make me a steak. A big, fat, juicy one and I want gravy to go with it!”
Callie inhaled a sharp breath and got into her car.
She revved the engine and drove off, happy to be away from Hawkins Sullivan. Happy to be anywhere but on the ranch she loved so much.
Callie stood with Jed Barlow by the Worth stables the next morning combing down Sunflower in the shade of a mesquite tree. “It was a good ride. I think Sunflower is tame enough for children. I just had to be sure.”
“The same goes for Tux. He’s pretty gentle,” Jed said. “I’m glad I was able to take the ride with you this morning.”
Callie smiled at Jed. They had been friends in school once, but she hadn’t seen him since she’d returned to Red Ridge. She brushed the mare’s mane while Jed combed down Tux. It was nice taking the horses out together before the heat of the day. Since her return to Big Hawk Ranch she hadn’t had a riding partner. She’d wanted to ride out on the range with Tagg today, but he’d flat-out refused. Maybe he really did have plans this morning. It wasn’t like he didn’t have a job. He ran the Worth empire from his house. He had responsibilities.
“It’ll be real nice getting to know you again, Callie.” Jed smiled.
“Same goes for me. I haven’t reconnected with too many people since I’ve been home. Some of my high school friends moved