Her scowl only deepened. “Instead of finding fault with everything I’m doing, maybe you can just mind your own business.”
“My father is my business.” His voice rose a notch.
She fisted her hands on her hips. “He’s my business too.”
“Not for much longer.”
“I’ll continue to do my job until another nurse arrives.”
“I don’t trust you.”
“That’s your issue, not mine.”
“I should send you away today.”
“Even if you did, I wouldn’t leave T.W. alone without help.”
Somehow their voices had escalated in the quiet of the early morning. He’d crossed his arms and was glaring back at her as fiercely as she was at him.
“Dad?” came a tentative voice from behind him.
Tyler pivoted to find Wyatt standing just inside the bedroom doorway. There wasn’t anything about Wyatt that resembled Stephanie. Except for his talkative nature and more open personality.
This summer, she’d invited him to come visit her for two weeks in June. Tyler wasn’t thrilled about the trip, but Wyatt seemed to be going through a phase where he was thinking a lot about his mom, or at least thinking about what he was missing out on by not having a mother around.
Early on, Tyler had attempted to persuade Stephanie to work on their marriage. He’d wanted them to get counseling, had admitted he’d been consumed with his work and hadn’t spent enough time looking out for her needs, especially when she’d been new to the ranch and everything had been so different from the city life she was used to.
But no amount of pleading had swayed Stephanie. She’d been too miserable to stay. She’d given Tyler full custody of Wyatt—who’d only been an infant and not all that close to her anyway, since she’d traveled so much.
Tyler wished he could say he’d been devastated to lose her. He’d tried to be sad, but the truth was that he hadn’t really missed her or their marriage. And that truth made him feel guilty, because he’d broken the McQuaid legacy of love.
Although some people scoffed at the McQuaid legacy of love, Tyler never had. He’d heard the stories passed down through the generations—the stories of the McQuaid men falling fast and hard for their brides and having passionate marriages. His grandfather and his dad had both had that kind of love—the kind where they were all-in, one hundred percent forever. They’dnever contemplated divorce and had never given their wives reason to do so. They’d kept their family bonds strong.
Unlike him…
Tyler expelled a tight breath. He’d failed at love, failed at making his wife happy, and failed at keeping their family bonds strong. Ever since the divorce, he’d worked even harder on the ranch to make up for his mistakes, to somehow atone for tarnishing the McQuaid reputation. Even then, he still felt like he’d let down generations of strong men.
At times, he’d wondered if he needed to consider remarriage as a way to repair the legacy, maybe even provide a new mother for Wyatt.
Since he’d already failed once, he was gun-shy about trying again. He didn’t want to make the same mistakes, move too quickly, and choose a woman based on physical needs. But even though Wyatt hadn’t brought up the wholewomanthing again, no doubt it was still on the kid’s mind.
The boy’s gaze now bounced between him and Kinsey. Was Wyatt trying to understand why they were arguing?
Why were they fighting? Tyler hadn’t meant to start an argument.
He blew out a rapid breath. “Everything’s okay, squirt. Just figuring some things out with Grandpa’s nurse.”
“With Kinsey?” Wyatt’s eyes were round upon the woman. He’d been fascinated with the new nurse ever since he’d arrived home from school yesterday. Of course, he was also concerned for his grandpa’s health and was probably worried seeing the normally strong man so weak and sick and helpless.
“Hello, Wyatt.” Kinsey smiled at the boy, somehow easily hiding the strain that had just been tightening her features. “I hope you’ll be able to come visit your grandpa when you get home from school later.”
“I will.” Wyatt’s wide eyes took in the big empty bed that was rumpled before he peered at the rest of the messy room.
Mom stepped into the doorway, her gaze downcast as though she was embarrassed to have overheard the argument with Kinsey. “Come on now, Wyatt.” She squeezed his shoulder and began to guide him out of the room. “You need to finish your breakfast and be ready by the time Nettie arrives.”
Tyler didn’t talk to Nettie much, but during their infrequent interactions, she’d hinted that she was interested in him. If he had to pick a mother for Wyatt, she seemed like she would fit the bill. She was kind and caring and loved her own son Levi. Having been born and raised in Park County, she seemed happy with the rural, small-town life. She even had a little shop in Healing Springs that sold locally made jewelry.
With her dark hair and petite frame, she was pretty enough, although he wasn’t especially attracted to her since he was partial to tall, willowy women with fairer hair.
