Linda Warren – Texas Rebels: Paxton (страница 8)

A honking sound echoed through the landscape and Remi looked up to see Canada geese landing on the pond. “Look, geese.” She slowly headed toward the pond and Paxton caught up with her.

“What’s so special about the geese?”

She sat on the small weather-worn bench Gran had put there to sit and feed the geese and ducks. Paxton sat beside her. Maybe just a little too close. Hay, milk and the musky scent of male surrounded her. She didn’t know why she was so aware of him and she had to stop torturing herself.

“It’s nice out here by the pond,” he said.

Large live oak trees shaded the pond on the right, their heavy branches just inches from the water. The air was fresh and invigorating. A peacefulness came over Remi.

“Yes, it’s nice.” Her eyes met the caramel sweetness of his and she knew she was fighting a losing battle.

Finally, he asked again, “What’s so special about the geese?”

She pointed to two geese on the other side of the pond. “That’s Henry and Henrietta, otherwise known as Henny.”

“It looks like one of them has a broken wing. It’s almost dragging the ground.”

“That’s Henny. Gran said a bobcat attacked her, but she managed to get away. She can’t fly anymore so this is home now. Gran was worried Henry would fly away and leave Henny here by herself, but Henry has never left her side. Canada geese mate for life. Isn’t that wonderful?”

“Unbelievable.”

She scooted a little farther away from him. He was so close she was feeling breathless. “Yeah. It would be nice if humans could get it right, but there’s more divorce now than ever.”

“Mmm.” He leaned forward, his hands clasped between his knees. “I don’t want to be nosy, but what happened to you?”

“It’s a long story.” She ran her hand down the thigh of her jogging pants and wondered if he was someone she could confide in.

“I got time.”

“You said earlier you had to work,” she reminded him.

“Aw, that’s just to get away from Miss Bertie. She’s a character.”

“Yes, but she can be lovable, too.”

“I’ll take your word for that.”

The geese squawked on the pond, flapping their wings and ducking their heads into the water. It was peaceful and comforting and she felt as if they were the only two people in the world.

“So what happened?” He was prodding her, but in a nice way.

“My parents are very protective of me. It’s smothering sometimes. I wasn’t even two years old when my mom left Horseshoe and she didn’t come back for a whole year. Gran came to see us in Houston and she complained all the time that it was ridiculous Mom couldn’t bring me to visit her. Eventually we started visiting, but we never left the ranch. I guess my mom was afraid of running into Uncle Ira. They had a big fight over Ruger. It even went to court, and since Ruger was eleven, the judge let him decide where he wanted to live and he chose my uncle. My mom was devastated. I’ve called Ruger many times and he’s always tells me to stay away. He’s my brother and I’d like to have some sort of connection with him, but Uncle Ira controls him.”

She took a deep breath and realized she was rambling on like a girl on a first date.

“So your relationship with your brother and the rest of the family is strained.”

“Yes, you could say that.” She watched the geese play on the water. “My mom remarried two years later, and Nathan Roberts adopted me. He’s the only dad I’ve ever known. My mom refuses to talk about Ezra McCray. Everything I know I’ve learned from Gran and she tends to exaggerate. I do know he wasn’t a very nice person, though, because he beat my mother.”

“Everything I’ve heard is bad, too, so maybe you were better off not knowing him.”

She turned to look at him. “Does it feel strange for you and me to be talking?”

“No. Why?”

“Your father killed my biological father.”

“That could be a stumbling block, but it was a tragedy and it’s in the past. That’s the way I look at it. I mean, I didn’t kill your father and you didn’t kill my father. I think it’s time for everyone to move on.”

“Yeah.” She kicked at the grass with her sneaker. “It’s hard sometimes and I know my mother thinks about it constantly. She hates visiting Horseshoe, but I’m happy she allowed me to come and stay with Gran during the summers. I’m glad I know my grandmother, even if she’s a little eccentric.”

“Is that what she is?” His lips twitched into a smile and she found herself smiling back.

“Yes, she is, and she likes you, so count that as a blessing.”

“It’s hard to believe Miss Bertie and my mom are friends. I didn’t even know about the Elvis club.”

“I think it’s nice to stay young in your heart.”

“Mmm. I think the feud is fading in some ways.”

“Why do you say that?” she asked.

“My brother Phoenix married Rosemary McCray in December.”

“Gran told me and I thought it was awesome. She also said that Uncle Ira had disowned Rosemary.”

“Yes. He married her off to a man twice her age and he abused her. Finally she had the courage to get out and make a life for herself, and still Ira wouldn’t accept her back into the family.”

“She’s my first cousin and I’d love to meet her. Gran said I have lots of cousins and I haven’t met any of them.”

“I can tell you for certain that Rosie—that’s what everyone calls her—would love to meet you. She’s that kind of person, sweet, loving and giving. And beautiful.”

“Do you have a crush on her?”

He laughed out loud and the sound echoed through the trees. The geese squawked and flapped around in the water at the interruption. It was in the forties, but his laugh warmed her through and through.

“The Rebel boys made a pact a long time ago to stay away from each other’s girlfriends. Actually, it was something our father told us to do—to never go against our brothers.”

He scooted on the bench to face her. “I think you’re avoiding telling me what happened to you. You’ve talked around it, but you haven’t actually said why you’re so weak.”

She clasped her hands in her lap. “Maybe because it makes me sound impulsive and immature.”

He poked a finger into his chest. “You’re looking at Mr. Immature.”

“I can’t believe that. You always seem so confident and in control.”

“Oh, man, I used to think that way, too. There’s nothing like being knocked off my pedestal. I’ve led a pretty selfish life riding the rodeo circuit, drinking and partying. And then there were the girls.”

“I can imagine.”

“Okay, don’t get snotty. What I’m going to tell you is going to change the way you think of me.”

“How do you know I think about you?” She blinked. “Oh, you think I might have a crush on you because every girl you meet does.”

He frowned. “No, it’s not that. It’s about immaturity. My immaturity.”

She settled back and listened.

“I had this high school girlfriend and we dated for years and then I started riding the circuit and we didn’t see each other that often. And then there were a lot of girls all chasing after me. I cheated on Jenny and slept with other girls. I felt bad about it and told her and you know what she did?”

“I don’t have a clue.”

“She forgave me.”

“She must really love you to be that forgiving.”

“I lost my father about the same time Jenny lost her mother and we had a connection because of that. We consoled each other and cried together, but it wasn’t love. Jenny and I were just best friends. I met this actress in Los Angeles and I asked her to marry me. And I didn’t tell Jenny. She was devastated with the news. I was a jackass because I couldn’t tell her the truth.”

“You’re a jerk.”

His eyes crinkled mischievously. “Oh, but this has a happy ending.”

Was he married? She hadn’t even thought of that. She’d swallowed hard. “She forgave you again.”

“No. There’s just so much a woman will take and Jenny had reached her limit. My brother Quincy was there to console her.”

“I thought you said the Rebel boys didn’t—”