AlmostHome (5 page)

“Why don’t you pour us some tea, Haley?” Conner said. It was
plain he expected her to clean up.

“I ain’t thirsty. You thirsty, Wyatt?”

Wyatt gave Conner a hard stare. He’d give anything to wipe
that smile off the asshole’s face. “Nope. Don’t reckon I am.”

Her brother shrugged and went to the fridge. “Reckon I’ll
have me a beer then.” He twisted the top off a Lone Star and sat again. “Pa
called the other day. He was pissed you didn’t send him no money. Wants you to
go see him.”

Haley folded her arms over her chest and shook her head.
“I’m done sending him money for cigarettes and Slim Jims. He wants money, you
send it to him.”

Conner rolled his eyes. “And how do you expect me to do
that? You ain’t given me no money either.”

Haley stood so fast she knocked the chair over. Good for
her. She was pissed and didn’t bother hiding it. “And I won’t. I’m done with
the both of ya. From now on, you want money, you’re gonna have to get it way
the rest of us do, by working.” Wyatt stood, standing close beside her.
Grim-faced, she looked at him. “Come on, Wyatt, let’s go load up my horses and
get the hell outta here.”

“Now wait just a goddamn minute, Haley,” Conner shouted,
tossing the wooden chair aside and following them out. “The way I see it, you
owe me board and feed for them mares and you ain’t taking them nowhere ‘til you
pay me.”

She skidded to a stop, boot heels kicking up dust. “That’s
the way you see it, do you? Never mind I bought the feed and hay, or that I
paid the rent on this place for the last six months.” She dug into her jeans
pocket and pulled out a handful of bills, tossing several at her brother,
shouting. “There. There’s your goddamn money, little brother. Spend it smart
cause there won’t be no more.”

“Shee-it,” Conner hooted as she stormed toward the barn.
“You must a come into some money, girl. Pa’ll be real happy to hear about this.
He’ll be getting out soon.”

At Haley’s anguished sob, Wyatt’s vision actually blurred
for a second. Jesus. He’d never in his life been moved to the heated violence
he felt at that moment. He took a step toward Conner, right hand balled into a
fist. He wanted to pound him into a bloody pulp. He shook his head. The brother
was a useless waste of skin. What mattered now was Haley and getting her out of
here. He uttered a vile curse, turned on his heel, and went after her.

Inside the barn, Haley was bent over, hands on her thighs,
damn near hyperventilating. Wyatt went to her, took her in his arms. She
struggled for a moment, then sagged against him.

“Oh god.” She clung to him as if his presence was all that
kept her tethered to the ground. “They can’t let him out.” Then she burst into
tears.

Wyatt rocked her back and forth, holding her tight.
“Shhh…hush now, sweet pea. Nobody’s ever gonna hurt you again, you hear me? I
swear on my life, Haley. I won’t let him hurt you ever again.”

She wrenched herself from his arms, turning her back to him.
“You can’t stop him.” Using the sleeve of her shirt, she swiped at the tears
and straightened her spine. When she faced him, she showed no expression.

“Haley.” He reached for her but she sidestepped him.

“Trust me, Wyatt. You don’t wanna get involved with me or my
family. Let’s just get the horses and go.”

Wyatt nodded. There was no sense in trying to talk to her in
her current state. Her face was a blank, eyes hollow and far away. He could tell
by her compressed lips and tensed jaw that she was struggling to keep it all
inside. Everything about her screamed “keep away”, so he’d back off and give
her what she needed. For now. He followed her into the tack room and took the
two lead lines she handed him.

The horses were in the far end of the barn and it was
evident by the smell that the stalls hadn’t been mucked recently.

“Jesus,” he cursed, swinging open a stall. The smell of
urine and manure was strong enough to sting his eyes and he knew Haley would be
lucky if the horses’ feet weren’t permanently damaged.

Haley’s face was set in a grim mask as she led a sorrel mare
from a swampy stall. Without a word, she led the horse to a hose, turned on the
spigot and rinsed off each hoof, carefully checking for injury. Together, they
performed the same task with the remaining three mares, then loaded them into
Wyatt’s trailer.

“I gotta get the tack, too,” she said, and headed back to
the barn.

He checked out the saddles and bridles. “What all’s yours?”

“The four saddles on the top racks are mine, so are the
bridles.” She grabbed the bridles and snatched a quirt off a nearby shelf.
Wyatt followed her out with a saddle in each hand.

Haley tossed the bridles in the bed of the truck and
approached her brother with a ground-eating stride.

“You lazy son of a bitch!” Raising the quirt, she laid into
her brother. “How long have those horses been standing in them filthy stalls?”
Conner stumbled backward, howling as she slashed at his bare chest with the
riding crop. “How long, you no-account fucker? Did you even change the water?
The buckets are full of slime and the feed and most of the hay is gone. Where’d
it go, Conner?”

“God damn it,” Conner screeched, throwing up his arms in an
attempt to avoid the blows. “Ow, that hurts you crazy bitch! I sold the feed
and the hay, okay? Hell, I didn’t know if you was even coming back.”

Wyatt looked on impassively as she rained blow after
stinging blow down on her brother. He didn’t blame her one bit. The man, if he
could be called a man, deserved to be horsewhipped.

By the time she was finished with him, Conner was sprawled
on the ground by the corral fence, his chest and arms covered with angry, red
welts.

“You ever come around me again, I’ll cut off your dick and
feed it to the hogs.” She raised the quirt again and Conner curled up in a
ball. “Oh hell, you ain’t worth the effort.” She tossed the whip at his feet
then, for good measure, kicked sand in his face. “Grow up, Conner.”

The younger man struggled to his feet, swaying slightly. He
wiped his nose on his bare arm and laughed.

“It don’t matter what you do, Haley. How much money you got,
where you live or that you got yourself a fancy man. You ain’t never gonna be
anything but what you are—pure white trash. Just like me and Pa.”

Wyatt took a step toward him but Haley’s arm shot out,
blocking his way. “Leave him. He’s right and I know it.”

Wyatt stomped angrily to the truck, yanked open the door for
her. “That’s bullshit, that’s what that is, and you damn well know it.”

She sighed and gave him a look that made his stomach knot
up. “You can put your boots in the oven, Wyatt, but that don’t make them
biscuits. I am what I am, and that’s the truth of it.”

Chapter Four

With a full load, they drove more carefully on the return
trip, stopping at the halfway point to check on the mares and grab a bite to
eat. Settling into a corner booth at a tiny café, Haley was aware of Wyatt
surreptitiously studying her over the top of his menu. At least he probably
thought he was being subtle. She slapped her menu down on the table.

“You’re staring. Why don’t you just go ahead and ask.”

“Ask what?” Her jaw clenched when he cocked his head with
wide-eyed innocence.

“Really? You’re gonna feed me a line when you been dying to
ask about Conner?”

The waitress came up and they stopped talking. “What’ll it
be?”

Wyatt spoke up first, probably to avoid her accusations.
“Bacon cheeseburger with all the fixings, fries, and…” He paused. “Think I’ll
have a large, chocolate shake. Cook that burger medium, will ya darlin’?”

Lined lips turned up in a smile. “You betcha, sugar.” Her
gaze swiveled to Haley. “How ‘bout you, honey?”

“I’ll have the same but make my shake strawberry if you got
it.”

“You got it, honey. Be back soon.”

“So,” Wyatt said when the waitress sauntered away. “I reckon
I know all I need to know about Conner. How is it your pa came to raise you?”

Haley unrolled the napkin from around her silverware and
placed it in her lap. This was the conversation she always hated having with
people, and probably why she tended to keep them at arm’s length. Most didn’t
understand why she didn’t take control of her own life, why she continued to
let her father and her brother manipulate her. If she were to be completely
honest with herself, she didn’t understand it either. But beating a dead horse
wouldn’t bring it back to life, so she chose to freeze people out.

“My ma died. Wasn’t no place else for me to go.”

“I’m surprised Jack didn’t try to get your pa let you live
with her.”

Haley shrugged. “She might have for all I know. Daddy said
there wasn’t nobody left but us. I sure didn’t know Mamma had a sister, so
Daddy probably kept her from telling.”

“Huh. Wonder why.”

Haley snorted. “Ain’t no big mystery to me. Jack probably
knew him for what he was and didn’t approve. Daddy don’t like it when people
buck him. ‘Specially women.”

Wyatt reached across the table and took her hand. She tried
to pull away but he wouldn’t let her go.

“Did he hurt you, Haley?”

Her lips tightened. God, she hated this. “When he was drunk.
Which was most of the time. Mostly I’d get Conner out the door before Daddy put
hands on him.” She looked at Wyatt. “He was so little, ya know? The few times
he did get his hands on Conner, he beat him bloody. I couldn’t stand it, so I—”

“You stepped in front of him and took the beating for him.”

Before Haley could comment, the waitress was back with their
food and drinks. Haley focused on fixing her burger just so—lettuce on the
bottom, then the meat, a thick slice of tomato, the onion and, lastly, the
pickles. She put four equal sized dollops of mayonnaise on the top half of the
bun, then cut the whole thing into two perfect halves. Anything to keep Wyatt
at bay for a few more minutes. They reached for the ketchup at the same time
and bumped hands. Her heart thumped as he caressed the back of her hand with
his fingers.

“Go ahead.”

She flushed at the contact and offered up a shy smile with a
soft, “Thanks.”

She looked up when he chuckled as she squirted ketchup all
over her fries, practically drowning them in the sweet, spicy concoction.

”You are a marvel of inconsistency. You constructed and cut
that burger with the precision of an architect but doused your fries with
enough ketchup you can’t hardly tell what you got on your plate.”

She shrugged and watched as Wyatt stacked the fixings on his
burger, squirted on some ketchup, then put more on his plate for his fries.
Messy burger, tidy plate. “So, you think there’s any truth to what Conner said?
About your pa getting out soon?”

Haley was about to take a bite of burger. She held it in the
air, hand shaking, hating that her fear of Kent Kilpatrick was so visible.

“Lord, I hope not.” She took a bite then set it carefully on
the plate while she wiped her hand on the napkin. “Probably a mistake for me to
stay in one place too long. I should sell everything and get the hell outta
Dodge.” She swallowed, then took another bite. Anything to keep from continuing
this conversation.

“Gonna run from him for the rest of your life, are ya?”

She sat up straight, back stiff as a pole. People were
always so willing to judge when they couldn’t possibly understand.

“What do know about anything, Wyatt Brody? You come from a
home where people loved you. You knew where your next meal was gonna come from.
That you’d have a warm bed to sleep in at night.”

“You’re right, darlin’, I did have folks who loved me. I
never went to bed cold or hungry but that don’t mean I don’t know loss, that
I’ve never felt pain. I grew up never knowing the love of my own ma. Your Aunt
Jack, she did a fine job of filling in when she could but she had her own ranch
to run. And my pa, he was a good man. I know he loved me, but he didn’t know
what to do with a little kid. Most times the only difference between me and one
of the hands was that I went to bed in the big house. Wasn’t ‘til he got sick
that we got close. I figure my life was a lot like yours in some ways. I never
played sports, never went to parties. Hell, I was too tired from working and
going to school. So I get it, okay? And I get that your first instinct is to
run. But there comes a time when you have to make a stand. You’ve got something
worth fighting for.”

“I wanna keep him outta my life, I gotta keep moving. It’s
the only way.”

“Is it?” He took a big bite from his burger, while she
practically burned with righteous indignation. How could he possibly compare
his life to hers? He set his burger down and wiped his mouth. “You got Geronimo
and the mares. One getting ready to foal any time. You inherited a real fine
ranch. Stay. Breed and train barrel horses. Make a name for yourself.”

“But what about—”

“You become part of the community, you’ll have folks that’ll
stand with you if your family tries to make trouble. Plus, you’ve got Dooley
and Maria. And me. We’ve got your back, Haley. Stay. You got a chance to make
your dreams come true. Be foolish not to take it.”

Haley nodded, swiped at the tears leaking from the corners
of her eyes. He made it sound so simple. Take control. Make a home for herself.
Build something good from the ashes of her life. “I’ll remind you of how you
got my back when my daddy and Conner come to call.”

Wyatt grinned. “You do that.”

She looked down at her plate, then back up at him. “I’m
sorry.”

“For what?”

“For wallowing in self-pity. At least I had a few good years
with my ma. I can remember her if I think on it real hard. And I can recollect
how she smelled, the sound of her voice when she hummed lullabies. I’m sorry
you don’t have those memories.”

“Apology accepted.” He pointed at her food. “Now eat. We got
a ways to go yet and horses to look after once we get there.”

* * * * *

Back in the truck and on the road again, Wyatt reached into
the unused ashtray, pulled out a bag of lemon drops, offered her one and popped
one in his mouth. It was a small gesture, one she had little experience
with—simple thoughtfulness. She didn’t know why such a gesture should shake her
so but it did. It struck her again that Wyatt Brody was dangerous. Not in the
way of her daddy, but in a manner that was much worse to her mind. Wyatt was
getting under her skin, making her hope for all the things she’d never
had—stability, someone to love her, a real family. Wyatt could make her love
him. And he could break her heart.

He tucked the candy back into the ashtray and smiled fondly.
“Miss Jack got me started on these things when I was a sprout. Can’t seem to
give them up.”

Haley savored the drop. “Coulda took up worse habits.”

“That’s the truth of it.” She glanced at him out of the
corner of her eye. “So, tell me about this breeding and training business you
wanna set up. You got a business plan in place?”

Haley shifted in her seat so she could look at him. “Well,
it ain’t a formal business plan but I got a bunch of stuff written down in a
notebook. How many horses per acre, the facilities I’ll need—you know, the main
barn, an arena, storage for feed and hay, an equipment building with a shop to
work on tractors and such. Worked up a feed budget.”

Wyatt nodded, keeping his eyes on the road. “Sounds like a
good start. You should put it all on a computer. I’ve got a couple of good
software programs to help track expenses. You got a computer?”

“Ugh. No. Don’t know that much about them.”

“Felt the same way myself when I first started using the
dang things. Couldn’t do without it now. What say we go on into Kerrville after
I’m done with immunizations and get you fixed up with everything you’ll need to
set up a business office? You’re gonna need a cell phone, too. And I got a gal
can get a website up for you. Then you’ll have to meet with Harlan to get the
incorporation paperwork rolling—that’ll save plenty on taxes.”

“Shoot…didn’t know it was gonna be that complicated.”

He took his eyes off the road for a second and grinned at
her. “Seems like it when you first start out but once you get the hang of it,
it’ll be like you been doing it your whole life.”

Haley sighed, wondering what the catch was to all this help
and advice.

“How come you’re being so nice to me? You got plenty to do
to keep your own place going. Is it just so you can get me in bed?”

He laughed, tickled by her forthrightness. “You don’t mince
words, do ya?”

“Never seen the need to.”

Wyatt took off his hat, scratched his head and put it back
on. “Well, I won’t lie and say it ain’t crossed my mind. You’re a good-looking
woman but that ain’t the main reason. Fact is, I like you. I think you’re a
hell of a woman, and I loved your aunt like she was my own ma. I reckon she
knew the kind of life you had with your pa. I expect that’s why she left you
the ranch. Figure she’d want me to do all I could to help you sink some roots
and make a life for yourself. Question is…you gonna let me?”

Overwhelmed, Haley stared out the passenger window, swiped
away a tear or two. If she was going to make a new life for herself, she needed
to learn to trust someone, didn’t she? And Wyatt seemed like a good bet, if she
could manage to keep things on a strictly friendship level. She took a deep
breath and nodded to herself.

Wyatt cleared his throat. “Got it settled in your mind?”

She looked at him and smiled. “Yeah. I’d appreciate any help
you’re willing to give.”

Wyatt turned on his blinker and started up the road to her
place. “Then I’ll give you a call when we’re done and we’ll ride into Best Buy
and get you set up.” He pulled up next to the barn, set the parking brake and
cut the engine. “Bring your checkbook and prepare yourself. It ain’t gonna be
cheap.”

She unclipped her seat belt. “Oh lord. And me tight enough
to make a penny scream when I pinch it.”

* * * * *

Wyatt was still laughing when he walked around and opened
her door. “There ain’t no women in the world like Texas women,” he declared,
and pulled her from the truck into his arms. When her hands went to his chest,
he thought she might push him away. Instead, she hesitated a couple of seconds
and fisted them in his shirt. He lowered his head and brushed his lips across
hers. “I swear, woman, if you don’t beat all.” Then he took his first real
taste of Haley Kilpatrick’s sweet mouth.

Lemon drops and sweet Texas sunshine, that’s what she tasted
like. He deepened the kiss, his tongue tangling with hers in a mating dance as
old as time. Her hands slid up his chest, speared through his hair, and his
cock stood to attention. More than anything, Wyatt wanted to drop his hands to
her perfectly rounded bottom and haul her against him, let her feel how much he
wanted her.

Behind them some fool cleared his throat. Had to be Dooley,
who should damn well know better.

Wyatt released her, stepped back and cleared his own throat
before turning to face Haley’s foreman. He figured his face was probably as red
as Haley’s, caught as they were in the act.

Dooley swiped his hat off his head and nodded. “Sorry.” At
least he had the sense to give his boss a sheepish smile. “I was just wondering
if you wanted me to unload the stock.”

“Thank you, Dooley. I expect they’d like to get outta
there.” She sidestepped Wyatt and the three of them headed for the back of the
trailer. “They’re bound to be hungry. My brother sold most of the grain and
hay, probably for beer money, so I got no idea how long it’s been since they’ve
eaten. And their feet are a mess from standing in filthy stalls.”

Dooley’s mouth compressed in anger when he unloaded their
first mare. “Shee-it. White line disease. Thrush too but that ain’t no
surprise. Gonna need to doctor them and get some pads. What the hell’s wrong
with that brother of yours? You can practically count their ribs.”

Haley snorted. “Been asking myself that question for years.”

“If he was too lazy to feed them, least he could do was put
them to pasture.”

“You’d think so, wouldn’t ya?” She unloaded the next mare.
“Truth is, Dooley, the boy couldn’t pour piss out of a boot if there was
directions on the heel. Should have known better than to think he’d take care
of the stock while I was gone.”

Wyatt unloaded the third mare and followed them to a large,
overgrown paddock. The grass was a good nine inches tall and the mare smelled
it, prancing anxiously beside him. He swore under his breath. Had the horses
eaten at all in the weeks Haley had been gone?