“Yeah, it’s supposed to clear up again,” Winnie said. She met Ty’s eyes. “Is this a big birthday party?”
While the other cowboys continued to talk, he leaned in close. “His youngest is turning one,” he said. “Dawson and his older brother, Duke, run the Rhinehart Ranch, which borders Shiloh Ridge on the south. It’s quite the drive, but I was planning on going.”
“And I don’t work weekends.”
He grinned at her. “Well, then I guesswe’replanning on going.”
In a pause in the conversation, he said, “I’m gonna go get a soda pop. I heard there were specialty drinks designed by Trooper and Judy. All this talking has me parched.”
Finn laughed again. “Yeah, all right. Let’s go get drinks.”
Ty had only taken one step when he heard, “Tyson Joseph,” in his mother’s voice.
“Oh, boy,” JJ said. “That’s your mother. I’ll go get you a drink.” He herded away the other cowboys while Ty turned toward his mother, taking Winnie with him. If he ever got out of this ballroom, it would be a miracle.
She usually wore jeans and a tank top, cowgirl boots and a hat, and her hair in a ponytail. But every week when they went to church, and any time she and Daddy went out on date nights, she let her hair down and it hung straight, just like Angel said hers did.
She’d brushed a little bit of makeup on her face, but not much, and she wore a floral print dress on a cream-colored background with a bright blue belt cinched around her waist. Daddy wore navy-blue slacks, a white shirt, and a brown leather jacket, as he knew how to dress up and be a picture-perfect cowboy, just like Ty.
They’d both ridden in the rodeo, and a flash of love and gratitude filled Ty in the couple of seconds that he took in his parents and Daddy settled at Momma’s side.
“That was a great wedding, wasn’t it?” Momma flicked her gaze over to Winnie and opened her mouth as if she’d say something more.
“Momma,” Ty blurted out quickly. “This is Winona Landry.” He omitted the part about her being his girlfriend, but Winnie stepped forward and slid her lips across his momma’s cheek.
“It’s so great to meet you, ma’am,” she said. “Ty talks about youconstantly.”
“Does he now?” She gave Winnie’s shoulders a quick squeeze, and they both stepped apart.
“And my daddy,” Ty said. “Ethan. My momma’s name is Brynn. They run the barrel racing training facility out at Three Rivers Ranch.”
“Is that the one where we’re going to go horseback riding?” Winnie asked.
“No, that’s Courage Reins,” he said.
They had talked about his childhood and how much time he’dspent out at Three Rivers working, cleaning stalls—not only for the ranch but for his momma and Pete Marshall, who owned Courage Reins. He told her he saw a therapist there, in conjunction with the work he did with the horses as part of their equine therapy unit.
Winnie had told him that she thought everyone should see a therapist, and Ty really liked that she never judged him in anything he did. He’d fallen flat on his face a couple of times in front of her, and she never made a big deal out of walking on his right side.
He’d enrolled in the beginning sign language classes, because he would love to be able to talk with Winnie silently, and he knew he wasn’t going to regain his hearing in his lifetime. For all the flaws Ty felt he had, Winnie didn’t seem to see any of them.
“It’s great to meet you,” Daddy said, and he reached forward. “Is this more of a casual thing?”
“Oh, no, sir,” Winnie said. “Ty’s been telling everyone I’m his girlfriend.” She beamed at him and then looked back at his parents. “And he’s right. He’s not really the type to do casual. Ty doesn’t like to play games.”
“I have never said those words out loud,” he said.
Winnie blinked at him. “You’re the one who said it wasn’t casual.”
“Well,” he said. “You’rethe one always bringing up family games like I know all the rules.”
Winnie put one hand on her hip and pushed it out in a way that made Ty’s pulse bump in strange ways. “Didn’t I send you a fashion show picture this morning?”
“Oh, this is fun,” Daddy said, and he genuinely sounded like he was enjoying himself.
“Just be careful what pictures you’re sending to each other,” Momma said, and Ty’s eyes flew to hers.
“You have got to be kidding me,” he said.
