Glancing toward him, I half laughed. “Neither one of them ever told me that story.”
“Oh, shit. I’m sorry, Kenzie. I thought you knew.”
“No. But that’s okay.”
“I think that’s why your mom told everyone they needed to watch out and protect you. She was worried.”
“She told people to protect me?”
“In no uncertain words. Including Wade from the day you arrived on this earth. Poor little kid. He wasn’t even five, but he did a damn good job if you ask me. Maybe you didn’t realize that you were the apple of your father’s eye. He couldn’t resist you. He bought the horse without telling your mother. She was so angry. I’ve never seen her so mad. I thought they were headed to divorce.”
“Wait a minute. My mother was the one trying to keep me protected?” I’d never heard any of this before.
“Including from all the boys. She enlisted your brother’s help for that too. That’s another thing your mom and dad differed on.”
“The Beckett family.”
He laughed. “Yeah. Some crazy feud. Boys will be boys.”
“Do you have any idea why they were feuding?” When I gave him a sly look, he shook his head.
“Oh, no. I’ve already put my foot in my mouth a half dozen times. You’ll need to ask your mother about that one. Anyway, your dad was so excited he was able to find a horse that reminded him of Sasha.” He took my hand, insisting I take the reins.
“If the gorgeous baby is really a gift, then why isn’t he presenting her to me?”
Jose had always been the one to keep a level head. He’d gone nose to nose with my father, refusing to back down. It was one reason I’d adored him often more than my own father. How strange to learn after all these years my mother had been the one to demand Wade look out for me.
“I know you and your father haven’t always gotten along, Kenzie, but he does love you. Other than your mother, he justnever figured out how to tell people. Always afraid of losing his family.”
“He has a funny way of showing it.” I took the reins, feeling very much the same way I did when I was a young girl and had finally been gifted with Sasha. Her death had nearly broken me.
“Men can be very hardheaded.”
“You think?”
Jose laughed and nodded toward the barn door. “Looks like you have company. I’ll better get home anyway. Do you need anything? You’re welcome to say with Patsy and me at our house.”
I noticed Axe and my heart fluttered. “I’m just fine here. You know I always loved this place.”
“Yeah, I do. I sure hope your dad can save the ranch. He had thoughts about renovating this barn, turning it into his office overhead. The plans just stopped. From what I heard, he’s got a buyer, which will prevent the place from going to auction, but he doesn’t want to do that.”
“A buyer?” I had a feeling about the auction but hadn’t seen an offer.
“Yeah, a lowball offer. Pissed your dad off. Don’t tell him I shared that with you. Sometimes, he confides in me. You never know with auctions. Who knows. Maybe the rodeo idea will turn things around.”
“Maybe so.”
As soon as Jose reached Axe, the two men conversed, both happy to see each other. Jose patted him on the shoulder beforewalking away. Axe watched him go, scratching his head as he did.
I remained with the beautiful horse, enjoying the way she was nuzzling against me. When Axe turned, he swaggered in my direction, his grin unexpected.
Even though we’d made up after our argument in the best of ways, there’d been no promises made before Char had picked me up at the seedy yet wonderful motel. Just an awkward moment. In seeing him now, I was no longer surprised at my level of excitement.
He had a way of doing that to me.
“How did you find me?” I asked as he neared the horse.
“Your mother told me where you were. You and this barn. I remember the first time I saw you riding Sasha. You were one hellion.”
